IT AIN'T OVER TILL ITS OVER !!(Or we are in Afghanistan to WIN)

I've received several e-mails asking for my views on the President's speech on the Afghanistan issue. So I wrote a blog about it ! Like to hear it? Here it goes!!

It's about damn time!! Like I've said before , the President isn't anymore informed now than he was 2 1/2 months ago. Nothing has changed in the past few months except what matters most: the loss of additional lives (both military and civilian) that will continue until we get a troop base in place that can stabilize the area. Being a veteran and having served time in a war zone that fact still bothers me most. While the President took a ridiculous amount of time pandering, making silly excuses, and trying to figure out how to combine being a politician with being a leader(the answer is: You can't . You can't make the truly righteous decisions as Commander and Chief if you do so with worries about upsetting party leaders or bigwigs in the process! ) people died!! Sure its War and folks die, but when you have a C&C that waffles and waivers it sends 2 messages intended or not. One, lack of respect and support for those requesting and needing the assistance(Your fighting forces on the ground). Two, indecision mean WEAKNESS and lack of intestinal fortitude to finish the job.(Which emboldens our enemies and leads to increased actions against us!!) These messages will always lead to wasted blood on the battlefield!! I believe that Obama does take the job of C&C seriously . He doesn't take the task of sending brave souls to possibly die lightly. That being said I feel he is a tad bit arrogant if he thinks that he can find ways to please his party and still be an effective military President!! Mr. President listen to your Generals and advisors in the fray, that's what they are there for. At least conference with them more than twice in 6mths!! Then take advantage of their military knowledge, heed their recommendation, and act on it!! Obama doesn't know anymore about running a war than a war knows about running him (and you could hide that under an eyelash without its feet sticking out !!).

So now that the decision has finally been made. We need to support it as does the President and Congress with a "In it to win it !!" attitude. What happened to the good ole days when we waged a war to win it!! If a war is won, loss of life ceases. The worst thing to do is commit a soldier's life to a goal and then not fully strive to achieve that goal. Basically you saying the blood, sweat, and tears shed are in vain!! There is no greater dishonor to a soldier's memory than to devalue their sacrifice. Now granted this is a new era, a new enemy ,and a different kind of war.Throughout history wars have change but that basic fundamental has stayed the same . You fight to win!! Bottom line!! So I would have like to seen more passion from the Prez. You know a JFK or Ronnie Reagan forged in steel / set in resolve moment!!

As for the end dates;lots of upset people are making a big deal out of this. Me? Not so much!! No dates are set in stone. Christmas is always Dec 25th and you better have your taxes in by April 15th. Everything else is negotiable!! One thing setting an end date might achieve is giving the Afghans a hot foot towards getting in shape to handle their own business. Sure the President of the good ole USof A laid down some dates and time tables. In reality that doesn't really carry much weight. I mean it wasn't but 4 some odd years ago that the previous Big Man In the Oval Office went Hollywood, landed on a aircraft carrier ,and proclaimed : as of so an so date in Iraq ! No prob.-- Mission Accomplished! Well you know how that worked out!! Mission Accomplished might just be outdated!! I like "eternal vigilance" better. Remember different kinda enemy, different kinda war!! When you remember that the folks in this entire region haven't been able to get along with each other since Cain and Able. End dates don't really mean alot(but there is that Leader/politician thing again).

Here is a positive : the look he gave toward Pakistan. It does show some hope that maybe there is a plan there to continue the initiative in the War on Terror (even though the administration doesn't have the balls to call it that anymore.). Once the surge settles Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan are the areas needing our attention. So there we will see. It does appear though that the President is playing both sides of the field. Obama dropped tough little ditties like "right makes might",but being a speech about winning a war he never mentioned positive motivating words like " Victory". Winston Churchill is somewhere chomping his cigar with much chagrin!!

Either way the decision's been made and we need to show our men and women in uniform that we back them 100% , and we know without a doubt that all their efforts will bring about VICTORY!! We are with them in this until we do achieve that VICTORY whether our elected officials reflect that view or not!! Also, if said officials don't follow our example we will vote them out and vote in those who will!! The soldiers don't wanna quit !! Why should you ?? There comes a time to stop being a politician, a party follower, or a pandering representative, and become a statesman, a patriot , and an AMERICAN!! That time is now!!