So far, not convinced. And on dKos, the people are loving that 'Back to the Stone Age' vibe.
So. We'll see.
Sure, Obama might really enjoy invading Pakistan. I for one doubt he cares. It does make him more electable to posture in this way, however, and that's what counts right now. Once in office you "make an effort" and then don't actually do it. Political expediency trumps all.
Pakistan is a nuclear power. The US will not be invading anything of substance there and nothing at all without the wink and nod approval at least of the Pakistani government. This is just tough talk during a dog-and-pony show. Call me when the troops cross into Pakistan en masse and then I'll believe this claptrap.
Now, were this McCain, I wouldn't doubt him for a second.
Sure, Obama might really enjoy invading Pakistan. ... It does make him more electable to posture in this way, however
Sounds like a dangerous bunch of people... When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
Posturing doesn't bother me. That's just how the game is played. Always has been, always will be, in any country with competitive elections.
What I'd be concerned about, if I were Obama, is the fact that McCain is now changing his positions to match Obama's on a lot of foreign policy issues (Afghanistan, Iran, etc). Given the behavior of the press, that makes Obama vulnerable to charges that he's copying McCain's positions (and the GOP operatives are already spinning it that way), even though it's clearly the other way around.
And if McCain keeps doing that in his effort to appear as Not Bush, Obama can't stick to his positions on these issues. He needs to move left to differentiate himself, so that the press doesn't start pushing the "They agree on everything!" stuff, which McCain would obviously love.
That, of course, could be a good opportunity to shift "the center" in the overall debate, but, as the press seems to have an unquenchable thirst for charging Obama with flip-flopping even where it's completely imaginary, it's not the easiest thing in the world to do smoothly. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
But what I think might happen is Obama making something more than a half-assed effort to get bin Laden. Doing so would send his approvals into the 80s or 90s and allow them cover to declare victory and get out.
The reason I think him declaring victory and getting out is a possibility is because of the fact that I think failing to do so would almost certainly make Afghanistan the new Iraq, and Obama the new Bush, in the eyes of the voters.
The benevolent dictator kind of talk over at dKos is silly. From the perspective of a politician with survival instincts, getting out makes sense. Bush can't run again, but Obama would be facing reelection in 2012. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
The benevolent dictator kind of talk over at dKos
Not that that's terribly surprising, of course, since candidates always have a certain group that will defend them no matter the circumstances. That's what bases are. It's just the nature of the beast. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
