Held Prisoner in Hampton Roads

Troubling statements . . .

. . . from the head shed.

At least based on Woodward's book.

When Woodward dissected the Bush administration, all the dem tongues were wagging "I told you so." Now, the he provides an insight into Barry O's playpen, and, as they say, "It ain't pretty."

Privately, he told Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to push his alternative strategy opposing a big troop buildup in meetings, and while Mr. Obama ultimately rejected it, he set a withdrawal timetable because, “I can’t lose the whole Democratic Party.”

The context of that statement should infuriate every soldier, sailor and Marine in the fight - not to mention the families of those who have given their last full measure. Their CinC puts more priority on keeping his party in line and in power than success in the theater. No more need be said.

The president concluded from the start that “I have two years with the public on this” and pressed advisers for ways to avoid a big escalation, the book says.

While in the Senate, Barry wanted nothing less than full withdrawal. He even wanted to withhold funding. Now, he is strategizing on how to stay in power. He is more concerned with his party's idealogy than a successful end to the war.

Some of the critical players in President Obama’s national security team doubt his strategy in Afghanistan will succeed and have spent much of the last 20 months quarreling with one another over policy, personalities and turf, according to a new book.

Having grown up in Illinois, this does not surprise me. It is simply Chicago politics writ large. It's also illustrative of the fact that Barry does not have the executive experience and ability for the job.

"The (Afghan military strategy) document - a copy of which is reprinted in the book - took the unusual step of stating, along with the strategy's objectives, what the military was not supposed to do."

Lyndon Johnson and Vietnam redux. I don't like what my professional military is telling me, so I will write my own rules of engagement.

Of cours, as CinC, that is his perogative. However, like any chief executive, he should be focusing on overall strategy and relying on his operations folks to execute that strategy.

My hope now is that the Republican party does not shoot itself in the foot by proffering non-electable wingnuts.

They have already started . . .