Obama provides a mere glimpse of his Afghanistan strategy
November 25, 4:04 PM
Law Enforcement ExaminerJim Kouri
President Barack Obama said today he will announce his decision on the strategy and troop request for Afghanistan “shortly after Thanksgiving,” according to Jim Garamone of the American Forces Press Service in a report to the Terrorism Committee of the National Association of Chiefs of Police.
During a news conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Obama said the strategy review he and his national security team performed was extremely useful, and he provided a glimpse at the conclusions.
“I can tell you … that it is in our strategic interest, in our national security interest, to make sure that al Qaeda and its extremist allies cannot operate effectively in those areas,” Obama said. “We are going to dismantle and degrade their capabilities and ultimately dismantle and destroy their networks. And Afghanistan’s stability is important to that process.”
The president said that since the United States went into Afghanistan, the war there lacked the resources or strategy to deal effectively with the Taliban and their al Qaeda allies. “It is my intention to finish the job,” he said. “And I feel very confident that when the American people hear a clear rationale for what we’re doing there and how we intend to achieve our goals, they will be supportive.”
Obama stressed that Afghan security is important globally. “The whole world, I think, has a core security interest in making sure that the kind of extremism and violence that you’ve seen emanating from this region is tackled, confronted in a serious way,” the president said.
“It is important for the international community to sustain its engagement in Afghanistan, to help its emergence as a modern state,” the Indian prime minister said. “The forces of terrorism in our region pose a grave threat to the entire civilized world and have to be defeated. President Obama and I have decided to strengthen our cooperation in the area of counterterrorism.”
Confronting extremism must be a multinational effort, Obama said, noting that his announcement of the strategy will include the obligations of international partners.
The strategy, he added, will recognize that the Afghan people ultimately are going to have to provide for their own security.
“So we’ll be discussing that process whereby Afghan security forces are properly trained and equipped to do the job,” he said. “And it’s going to be important to recognize that in order for us to succeed there, you’ve got to have a comprehensive strategy that includes civilian and diplomatic efforts.”
However, critics are reminding Americans that the president continues to “dither” over how to reinforce America’s fighting men and women currently face death and danger daily.
“When I was a Marine, I had to have faith in my Commander-in-Chief [Harry Truman] in order to maintain a ‘fighting spirit.’ I dare say our Marines currently deployed in Afghanistan do not feel that way about Obama,” claims former NYPD detective and US Marine Sid Frances, one of the first African-Americans to serve as a US Marine.
“And the news media are failing to turn up the heat on the president. Why aren’t they clamoring to show the flag-draped coffins of soldiers and Marines who died in Afghanistan?” he asked.
Political strategist Mike Baker sees something more sinister at play: “Now we hearing Democrats in congress talking about taxing Americans to pay for the war. It’s a ploy to turn Americans against the terrorism war.”
“I’m hearing more and more patriotic Americans saying we should send the additional troops or bring our fighting men and women home. What’s the big debate about? It’s Obama playing politics,” he added.
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he’s a columnist for The Examiner (examiner.com) and New Media Alliance (thenma.org). In addition, he’s a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.
He’s former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed “Crack City” by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He’s also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He’s a news writer and columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he’s syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc.
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