Dithering in the Illinois Senate (voting "present" 130 times) led Hillary Clinton to say her Democratic rival was more a "talker" than a "doer".
Dithering over the pirates (shoot 'em or not shoot 'em).
Dithering over troop increase. McChrystal wanted more than 50k, but asked for 40k on October 1st. The skimpy answer came February 15th.
Dithering over oil spill. The "On Top of It From Day One" strategies: threat of criminal charges to be filed...no waiver STILL on Jones Act...postponement of berms and other protective ideas due to lack of environmental impact statement...declaration of moratorium to keep other companies from drilling (later blocked by federal judge)...and by Day 64, some softening to consider some private-sector creative ideas for cleanup.
But now ALL OF A SUDDEN...the President is decisive.
The fired general runs 7-8 miles a day, eats one meal, sleeps four hours, has served his country all his life. It doesn't take a crystal ball to recognize an intensely focused man. He didn't just "pop off"...he raised the curtains of his work station.
General McChrystal said he tendered his resignation out of a desire to see the mission in Afghanistan succeed. "He should have kept his mouth shut then" you say? Maybe he has brought the focus to Afghanistan and how the latest offensive in Kandahar is behind schedule. Why? The Afghan soldiers are shifting sides...and Karzai may be corrupt, but he's not crazy. They all know that July 2011 is "game over" and they are lining up. Winning in Afghanistan will take commitment. I have no doubt that McChrystal is blunt and says what he thinks. No doubt he is like a lazer beam on his goal. That's what made him successful. He's no ditherer.
Now General Petraeus takes the helm. He's a good commander who is more "public relations" oriented. He leaves a post at Central Command coordinating operations in twenty countries.
One ironic note: when the NYTimes ran a MoveOn.org ad (General Petraeus or BetrayUs) back in 2007, the Senate passed legislation to condemn. Forty-nine Republicans and twenty-two Democrats supported the bill; Barack Obama did not vote.
Mr Owe-Nama is just like all good liberals. They know that if they just keep plugging away and don't do something wild and fast, then they will eventually get their way and us conservatives will just sit in the frying pan as the heat is gradually increased until we realize that we are dead in the water and it is too late. Good blog Susan. Dan Prier
ReplyDelete