"Success -- a stable, secure, self-governing Afghanistan that is not a terrorist sanctuary -- can be achieved..."

But by conversative military leadership estimates will require at least 600,000 troops in both Afghaniztan AND Pakistan (where Al Queda now is), at a cost of about $1 TRILLION dollars per year for at least 15 MORE years.

This is the only kind of "earmark" John McCain is interested in - more and more money for his war-mongering.  Do you suppose he is still out looking for the "gooks" who tortured him?   Hint, Senator: That was Viet Nam, and that's been over with for a long, long time.  Get over it.

In this parlous economy, we US taxpayers haven't the resources or the will to "save the world for Democracy".  We're too busy trying to save our jobs, homes, investments, and dreams for our children.  We should get out of both Afghanisstan and Iraq and let those people run their own countries in their own way.  How would we feel if they can over here and tried to tell us how to run ours?  It's our years of interference over there that has angered them into attacking us in the first place.

Bring the troops home, use them to secure our own borders.  Use some of that money to beef up our Homeland Security and computer security.  Let the CIA take care of getting intelligence reports from that area of the world, so we have advance warning of impending threats.

Chris, in Illinois, (and others who defended Obama's proposal to have returning, combat-wounded veterans pay for their own treatment)-

if these military men and women have their treatment paid by their own health insurance, where, exactly, do you think that money comes from?

A few years ago, my children were in a car accident, and the INSURANCE COMPANY notified me on three separate occasions that my daughter could sue my son for her injuries.  When I stated that, in my family, siblings didn't sue each other, I was told that my son wouldn't hae to pay, they, as the insurer would.  

I asked them is Moses was the chairman of the company, you know, manna from heaven, because if that was the case, why was my premium so high?

Of course, IF I had gone along with it, and IF I had allowed them to give over the money, they would have gotten the money from ME, eventually.

So, yes, O bama proposed having these men and women pay for their own treatment-through premium increases rather than direct payments to the hospitals and doctors.

I agree with John McCain, the war in Afghanistan can be won, but the real question should be how.  Approaching it as conventional warfare, bringing in hundreds of thousands of troops, doing a surge, setting up a safe zone, and pseudo security will only leave us with an Afghanistan situation similar to what we have in Iraq.....very unstable,and Bin Laden and his gang will be somewhere else by then anyway.
  Our real enemy doesn't have a country as its home.  They are spread out all over the globe.  We need to regroup and really consider the best way to fight this war.  Waisting more valuable resources will only lead our country deeper into poverty.   The enemy can hide and hold out for another 10 years.  And if you don't believe me ask the Russians.   It will also be impossible to get our Allies and NATO to whole-heartedly invest in such a fiasco. This is a sucker punch from Al Qaeda.  The enemy want us in Afghanistan, fully equipped,  tanks, planes, complete...and dishing out 12 billion dollars a month.
That brings me back to my question....How do you fight an invisible enemy?  I think first you have to also become invisible.  Bring the troops home and take the war to the eneny undercover.  Then we can win, and at a fraction of the cost.

Q.) How many troops have come home since he was elected?

A.) None - 0 - actually he has deployed thousands more.

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Obama Bring our troops home now - or your just another lying politician like Bush.

Warren from Chicago (Sent Thursday, March 19, 2009 10:40 AM)

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Obama promised to have the troops home in 16 months (your LIV is showing.)

In addition, Obama stated so many times it makes me sick, that he would be "As responsible bringing them home as we were reckless sending them in"

Seriously, Open a newspaper.

will somebody tell this old fool that nobody cares what he thinks and says, that is except the media, who give every utterance and tweet overblown attention.   Why didn't he say something before?  He basically has 3 things in his arsenal, more tax cuts, no earmarks and bomb whomever.

I'm as outraged as everyone else, but to put this in context, how many minutes would the war in Iraq take to consume 165M ?
I've been against this war of choice from the beginning, and totally outraged that we took our eye off the ball!
The republicans now have a talking point, and will beat it to death, kind of a distraction to the larger issue the economy, 165M, or 1.6T, should we be talking about the one inch hole in the boat, or the 5 foot hole in the boat?
To all the rightys out there, we get it, you hate Obama, and just want him to fail, look stupid, etc....
Obama could be compared to an umpire, or referee who calls them as he sees them, some people like the calls,and some people hate the calls, and he will get a few wrong, but does anyone think that we could play baseball, or football without these guys?
I know we want to solve the problems, and I believe he's trying to, but do you think anyone would have this maze solved by now?
Obama could have laid the blame elsewhere, but took the ultimate blame by saying the buck stops here, he also said this would not be easy, and mistakes would be made, well here's a mistake, better not to make them of course, but we're all human.
I think we need more patience here, we have all acted out of anger at some point in our lives, and when I think how some of my worst decisions have been made when I was angry....just my 2 cents

I'm sure McCain would rather focus on something (anything) other than CEOs and bonuses, given that his top economic advisor during his campaign was John Thain -- remember him? CEO at Merrill Lynch, spent 2-3 million on redecorating his office just before they went bust and took a bailout? Oh... and are now about to pay out HUGE bonuses?

Even WAR sounds better than trying to defend THAT.

@Brian Crooks -- love reading your posts... keep up the good work! Someone has to point out the audacious attempts to rewrite history...

So, yes, O bama proposed having these men and women pay for their own treatment-through premium increases rather than direct payments to the hospitals and doctors.
no joe, no bo, nj
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You are so full of it it's coming out your ears! The President said from the very beginning that ALL options were open; they would look at everything and evaluate it. He HAS looked into this issue and decided it WASN'T in the best interest of our veterans to do this; therefore they will NOT be paying for their care with their own insurance. Do you just spread lies because you LIKE to or do just not let FACTS get in the way of a good story?

I want to congradulate the Rachel Maddow show, for the excellent guests she has to discuss the Iraq/Afghanistan issues.  Even while they all present their thoughts and solutions, I think we should just GET OUT!  This is a global community issue, let's get out until there is a global community plan for solving the problem.  The American people can not afford to be the leader for the next 16 years and build this country, so they can defend themselves.  Marlene in Mich

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