Comments on: Holy Fuck, Eikenberry Thinks Karzai Is Not Worth Escalating For

By: Spencer Ackerman

Spencer Ackerman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:50:46 +0000

I meant to! To get people to read down into the piece!

By: karaka

karaka — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:36:55 +0000

You linked to page four of that WaPo article, Spencer, just so you know.

I think it’s worth noting that Eikenberry is essentially the top of the top officials to protest Karzai’s corruption, and what that means for the US engagement in country. But he’s by no means the only one offering that criticism, and the fact remains that the US is still between a rock and a hard place. Karzai has several years behind him already, and is Pashtun, that carries him pretty far. After Abdullah withdrawing and the runoffs being cancelled, I really don’t think anything–even this–will sway the forthcoming martial commitment to Afghanistan.

That doesn’t make Eikenberry’s point of view unimportant, but I think it doesn’t likely hold a lot of power in the discussion.

By: lmdlt

lmdlt — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:50:22 +0000

Indeed, a better blog post it would have been. Interestingly, this was not mentioned, for which WaPo would need a whole other article. So if that goes through, -9000. Maybe they will be relocated to Basra's airport... I like to believe that the the president does not do the bidding of the military or any political party. I would say he is more scared of bolloxing Afghanistan. Rightfully so. An aside: I cannot believe that a purely counterterrorism approach is actually being debated. It is so Rumsfeldian.

By: phred

phred — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:36:51 +0000

Damn. I did not see that coming. Maybe PO is finally read to lead rather than follow, eh?

By: ScottMcConnell

ScottMcConnell — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:15:40 +0000

Some Dem should plan to run against Obama if he escalates the war. It’s the only thing likely to get his attention, as he’s now running completely scared of what Petraeus, McChrystal and the GOP will do if he doesn’t do their bidding.