The Afghan Speech

Last night, president Obama made it official; the USA will start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and will have all the surge troops out by September of 2012, just in time for the elections that November. Of course, Obama did not mention the elections, but one would have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to notice that the timetable for withdrawal was designed for maximum political benefit for Obama without regard to the realities on the ground in Afghanistan. Nearly all fighting in that country takes place during the months of April through October. That means that the bulk of the troops being withdrawn will not be available for the 2012 fighting season. In other words, if the troops were coming home based upon millitary conditions, they would be leaving starting in November 2012, but that would be after the US elections. Alternatively, if things are so good in Afghanistan that the troops can be withdrawn earlier, they would be coming home between November 2011 and February of 2012. So politics has triumphed over the safety of the American troops and the needs of the war.

Over the years Obama has been in office, Americans have looked in vain to find him to be a leader who cares about the American people. We have all seen the egotistical man who thinks that by espousing his own views on a subject he can bend reality to his vision. That is why most of his speeches and press conferences include frequent use of the first person; in Obama's mind he thinks that the whole world is hanging on his every word and that it is eager to follow his dictates. We have also seen the president who cannot seem to focus on what is important to the people when there is an ideologically driven move that could otherwise be made. How long has it been when the only action coming from Obama on job growth has been a statement that he is focused like a laser on jobs. No one cares anymore about what Obama says is his focus. No one cares if he makes jobs or the economy the latest subject for his frequent claims that something is the last thing he thinks about before going to sleep and the first thing he thinks about upon arising in the morning. Perhaps the most accurate quote here is the old standby: "Words, words, words!!" Where is the plan for the economy? Where is a budget for 2012? Where is any hint that Obama is actually involved in the discussions about the debt ceiling? Where is there any program that Obama has put forward for economic growth? Oh, I know that Obama has spoken repeatedly about high speed rail and green jobs. But no one in his right mind could think that the answer to the current economic malaise is faster passenger trains or solar panels.

What the American people have for the moment is not a president. He is the politician in chief. He is the man whose focus, whether or not like a laser, is on getting re-elected. It is a year and a half until the election, Obama is unopposed for the nomination, but he is spending many days out of each week campaigning and raising funds. Is there so little to do that Obama has all of this excess time to devote to the campaign? Indeed, many ask when the last time was that a sitting president spent significant time devoted to his re-election fully a year and a half before Election Day. The answer is that no previous president ever did anything like this. It is as if Obama has taken a leave of absence from the presidency in order to campaign.