Palin moves to possible call for "immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan"

[t0rnado]

https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150196318778435


After learning this afternoon of Afghan President Karzai’s ultimatum to NATO concerning airstrikes, we need to consider how dangerous this new development is. While it's always devastating to hear about civilians killed in the fight against the Taliban, President Karzai surely knows that no one works harder to eliminate civilian casualties than NATO. His public ultimatum issued today to allies and supposed friends is dangerous. What President Karzai is saying is that if we don’t severely limit our air campaign he will take “unilateral action.” And he further says that if the airstrikes continue we will be seen as an “occupying” power. This is an indirect way of saying that American and NATO forces will be fair game, which is obviously an unacceptable situation that threatens our troops. His comments reflect the reality that there is a growing divide between NATO and the Karzai government. Let us be clear: we are in Afghanistan fighting for the Afghan people and for the security of our country and our allies. If President Karzai continues with these public ultimatums, we must consider our options about the immediate future of U.S. troops in his country. If he actually follows through on his claim that Afghan forces will take “unilateral action” against NATO forces who conduct such air raids to take out terrorists and terrorist positions, that should result in the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and the suspension of U.S. aid. I still firmly support our mission in Afghanistan, but we must have the support of the host government. Our troops’ mission will be compromised and their safety endangered if the Afghan government threatens us.

- Sarah Palin

[doodle]

I has to disagree with Palin on this. Afghan freedom effort like Operation Iraqi Freedom is a task from g-d.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ypVSYoEKA

[miracleintexas]

Yeah sarah. Get out of afghani.

[flightlesskiwi]

And he further says that if the airstrikes continue we will be seen as an “occupying” power.


I still firmly support our mission in Afghanistan, but we must have the support of the host government.

Someone please explain to me when, in the course of OEF, we have not been seen as an "occupying" power (Restrepo, anyone?). Oh, I forgot, we are now "nation building". We wouldn't want to leave a power vacuum, not only would that be looked down upon by the international community, it could greatly harm the Afghans. /s

[t0rnado]

Moderator didn't need to edit my title. I think she'll endorse Ron Paul after making this statement.

[Fermli]

Moderator didn't need to edit my title. I think she'll endorse Ron Paul after making this statement.

nah. Some other candidate will come out against the war and she'll endorse them, possibly Cain.

[cindy25]

with Palin its always mixed signals. she did endorse Rand, before anyone national did. and took heat for it from Krystol and I would assume Ales. Cain is not a serious candidate, neither is Santorum; she won't endorse Mitt or Bachmann, maybe Pawenty
or maybe Paul.

Will the real Sarah Palin please stand up?

[bunklocoempire]

Sure Sarah, but somehow when you came into a position to do anything about it your hands would somehow be tied.

In other news, Obama calls for the closing of Gitmo.....

Been there, done that.


Bunkloco

[Jim Casey]

with Palin its always mixed signals. she did endorse Rand, before anyone national did. and took heat for it from Krystol and I would assume Ales. Cain is not a serious candidate, neither is Santorum; she won't endorse Mitt or Bachmann, maybe Pawenty
or maybe Paul.

Will the real Sarah Palin please stand up?
She's sending mixed signals because she's playing it coy. She's getting lamestream media attention for her jewelry and also simultaneously getting coverage of her demand for possible pullout of Afghanistan.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20067702-503544.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Whether you want to learn about her fashion accessories or her plans for troop withdrawal, Palin gives it all. She is truly electable.

[cindy25]

She's sending mixed signals because she's playing it coy. She's getting lamestream media attention for her jewelry and also simultaneously getting coverage of her demand for possible pullout of Afghanistan.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20067702-503544.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Whether you want to learn about her fashion accessories or her plans for troop withdrawal, Palin gives it all. She is truly electable.

I think she is truly conflicted. Just as Beck is truly conflicted. I wish someone would Palin about the Patriot Act.

[FreedomProsperityPeace]

She's really going to confuse all those neocons with their lips connected to her backside.

[Paulatized]

To me she is not saying she is against the war, but that if Karzai doesn't support the way we are fighting it (isn't appreciative of our efforts) and sees us as occupiers, doing things our way instead of his, then we should get out. She is not saying, "enoughs, enough already," but that things have not gone as she would have thought.

I think it's a step in the right direction in thinking because how could it not help but lead her to to realize the unintended consequences of forcing democracy through the barrel of a gun.

[Aratus]

this does sorta imply that she is asking
deep questions about our involvements.

[jmdrake]

Sure Sarah, but somehow when you came into a position to do anything about it your hands would somehow be tied.

In other news, Obama calls for the closing of Gitmo.....

Been there, done that.


Bunkloco

Well of course. So we don't use this as a reason to support Sarah Palin for president. (There are many reasons not to do that even if she was really for a pull out, including her support for the TARP bailout). No. We should use this to convince her supporters that talk of a withdrawal from Afghanistan isn't somehow anti American. Ron Paul should use this in the next debate. "President Karzai recently threatened U.S. troops and Sarah Palin said we should pull out and suspend aid if he does so. I say why wait for him to attack U.S. troops? He wants us out now, we should get out now".


To me she is not saying she is against the war, but that if Karzai doesn't support the way we are fighting it (isn't appreciative of our efforts) and sees us as occupiers, doing things our way instead of his, then we should get out. She is not saying, "enoughs, enough already," but that things have not gone as she would have thought.

I think it's a step in the right direction in thinking because how could it not help but lead her to to realize the unintended consequences of forcing democracy through the barrel of a gun.

Yes. It wasn't an endorsement of a pullout, but at least she set the conditions for a pullout (something most mainstream republicans won't do). We can play this to our advantage.

[pcosmar]

. I think she'll endorse Ron Paul after making this statement.

Doubts.
As much as I do want all troops out of Afghanistan I disagree with her entire premise and reasoning.

Her's is not a position based on Principle, as Ron's opposition to failed policy is.
Her's is based on butthurt at being held accountable.

She has no discernible principles.

[Chieppa1]

She is just attacking Afghanistan because its Obama's war now. Period.

[Zippyjuan]

She takes whatever position she thinks is popular. Check out what she said just a couple of years ago about our "neigboring country:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5863327-503544.html

.December 2, 2009 10:33 AM PrintText
Palin Lauds Obama's Afghanistan Decision
By Sergey Kadinsky .

(AP)
Sarah Palin is offering rare praise for President Obama following his speech last night in which he vowed to deploy 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.

"At long last, President Obama decided to give his military commanders much of what they need to accomplish their mission in Afghanistan," Palin wrote on her Facebook page last night.

The 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee expressed gratitude that a president who ran on a platform opposing the surge in Iraq now supports a surge in Afghanistan. She also signaled confidence that a surge in Afghanistan can succeed.

"We now have an opportunity to build a bipartisan consensus in support of a vital national security priority: defeating Al-Qaeda and its violent extremist allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and ensuring that these countries never again serve as bases for terrorist attacks against America and our allies," she wrote.

The former Alaska governor was not entirely on board with Obama's speech last night, however. She took issue with the president setting July 2011 as a date to begin pulling troops out of Afghanistan, arguing the move amounts to "sending the wrong message" to our allies and enemies.

"We should be in Afghanistan to win," Palin wrote. She said a timetable signaled "a lack of resolve to our friends" and gave inspiration to American enemies to simply "wait us out."


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5863327-503544.html#ixzz1O9scf5mM

On that "neighboring country" reference:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/palin-calls-afghanistan-o_n_132166.html

Reuters :

Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin called Afghanistan "our neighboring country" on Sunday in a speech that could revive questions over her tendency to stumble into linguistic knots.

Three days after a mostly gaffe-free debate performance, the Alaska governor fumbled during a speech in which she praised U.S. soldiers for "fighting terrorism and protecting us and our democratic values".

[AuH20]

She takes whatever position she thinks is popular. Check out what she said just a couple of years ago with our "neigboring country:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5863327-503544.html


On that "neighboring country" reference:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/palin-calls-afghanistan-o_n_132166.html

That was roughly 2 years ago.

[Zippyjuan]

That was roughly 2 years ago.
Yes, it was. At that time, she was against withdrawing troops and in fact in favor of more being sent there.

[Working Poor]

I think the Sarah Palin blow up doll advertised on my blog has more function than the real Sarah.

[bunklocoempire]

RE: Post #14


Well of course. So we don't use this as a reason to support Sarah Palin for president. (There are many reasons not to do that even if she was really for a pull out, including her support for the TARP bailout). No. We should use this to convince her supporters that talk of a withdrawal from Afghanistan isn't somehow anti American. Ron Paul should use this in the next debate. "President Karzai recently threatened U.S. troops and Sarah Palin said we should pull out and suspend aid if he does so. I say why wait for him to attack U.S. troops? He wants us out now, we should get out now".



Yes. It wasn't an endorsement of a pullout, but at least she set the conditions for a pullout (something most mainstream republicans won't do). We can play this to our advantage.

Point well taken. Thank you jmdrake.:)


Bunkloco

[Feeding the Abscess]

Well of course. So we don't use this as a reason to support Sarah Palin for president. (There are many reasons not to do that even if she was really for a pull out, including her support for the TARP bailout). No. We should use this to convince her supporters that talk of a withdrawal from Afghanistan isn't somehow anti American. Ron Paul should use this in the next debate. "President Karzai recently threatened U.S. troops and Sarah Palin said we should pull out and suspend aid if he does so. I say why wait for him to attack U.S. troops? He wants us out now, we should get out now".



Yes. It wasn't an endorsement of a pullout, but at least she set the conditions for a pullout (something most mainstream republicans won't do). We can play this to our advantage.

Not that I like pandering, but if Ron were to say "if he wants to be on his own, I say let's let him have his wish," it'd probably go over better with Republican derpy derps. It'd be another "OOOOOOO YOU TAKE YOUR ORDERS FROM TERRORIST LEADERS" if he went with your suggestion.

[TC95]

Yes, it was. At that time, she was against withdrawing troops and in fact in favor of more being sent there.

No wonder she's calling for possible withdrawl. She can't have masses of troops dying that she wanted to send there. That might not look good for her presidential campaign.

[TC95]

Moderator didn't need to edit my title. I think she'll endorse Ron Paul after making this statement.

Are you kidding me? She's running for president. She just hasn't announced yet.

[Aratus]

she is on the bus tour,
she was on my local news,
she may be running for potus.

[Aratus]

asking WHY our troops are being sent where
they are is the mark of a true patriot. it took
sarah palin some 8 years after the dixie chicks
voiced their historic doubts for an apt likewise.
she is late to the cause, tis better than never.

[jmdrake]

Not that I like pandering, but if Ron were to say "if he wants to be on his own, I say let's let him have his wish," it'd probably go over better with Republican derpy derps. It'd be another "OOOOOOO YOU TAKE YOUR ORDERS FROM TERRORIST LEADERS" if he went with your suggestion.

I have nothing against pandering if it actually moves people in the correct direction. How about "Since he wants to be on his own we should go ahead and let him have his wish"? The difference being not leaving the door open for Karzai to change his mind. I hope Ron is focus grouping his answers with a group of average republicans.