If Sestak still keeps in touch with people serving in Afghanistan he would know just how bad moral has dropped. Obama has dragged his feet on a decision on Afghanistan for close to 100 days, while our soldiers are dying. Either support the troops and give Mcchrystal the exact amount of troops he needs or say that you believe we should change tactics and pull out. Obama’s indecision is inexcusable and Palin’s comments deserve discussion.

The campaign is really getting desperate for attention. I guess they figure that with Palin in the news, they can try to exploit her popularity (and idiocy).

The campaign looks for any excuse to bring up Joe’s military background: “Joe Sestak, who served 31 years in our nation’s military..”
31 is becoming Joe’s version of Rudy Giuliani’s constant use of 9/11. Can they even issue a single statement without the number 31?

But, this “gem” from the campaign is mind-boggling stupid on several levels:
“Instead, Joe Sestak did not vote for Sarah Palin because he believes strongly that she was not the better choice to be Vice President”

1) REALLY???? That’s why????

2) See that’s really odd, because most of us voted for Obama because we thought he was the better choice for President. The campaign’s statement implies that Palin’s weakness and not Obama’s strength was the reason for his election day decision.

3) The statement doesn’t even say that Joe voted for Obama, only that Joe didn’t vote for Palin.

4) Maybe the campaign staff needs a refresher course, because there is no separate vote for vice-president. It’s a single ticket.

Specter was candid in his response that he voted for the overall TICKET (McCain/Palin). Clearly, this was on the strength of McCain, who was generally well respected for his career and service. For someone like Specter, the election of McCain would sent a signal to the extreme right-wingers by reinforced the moderates. Specter’s hollow praise of Palin was that she had “potential”. Hardly a ringing endorsement.

Joe’s really in-for-a-penny in-for-a-pound with this particular attack. For a guy that said he was going to run a campaign “for” something, Joe seems to have run out of gas a few miles back down the road.

Imagine how our troops feel. The war is losing support and they do not know if their sacrafice will make a difference. On top of everything, your commander in chief neglects the commander on the field when he asks for more troops. Obama would rather party with Spielberg and Couric than make a decision that could change the outcome of the war. Sestak should realze that most troops share similar views and values as Sarah Palin. She has a son who serves in Iraq and she knows how important Obama’s decision is and what it means to other mom’s who children are in harms way. Sestak is wrong to criticize her

Zack-
You posted while I was typing.
Your statement is more the of same “dithering” nonsense being put out by Cheney, and parroted by Palin and others.

The results of the Afghanistan election were key to any strategy. Implementing a strategy, before knowing the outcome, would have been foolish. We’ve seen the results of Bush/Cheney rushing in.

If Joe feels that Palin’s comments are deserving of debate, fine. Debate these points for the sake of the troops.

However, when Sestak brings Arlen’s pro-forma support of McCain/Palin in 2008 into the discussion, it takes focus away from the troops and the real issues.

Obama has been dithering. We just went through the bloodiest time of the war and our troop’s moral has been devastated. Obama has pushed all of his policies to be done as quickly as possible except for the one that matters most. Even the UK say Obama is to blame for the decline in support. Bob Ainsworth, the defence secretary, has blamed Barack Obama and the United States for the decline in British public support for the war in Afghanistan. Ainsworht said, “a period of hiatus in Washington – and a lack of clear direction – has made it harder for ministers to persuade the British public to go on backing the Afghan mission in the face of a rising death toll.” Our own allies think Obama has screwed up.

Sarah Palin’s attacks are shameless and outrageous.

Apparently the plan coming out of the White House will be comprehensive and include some kind of withdrawal plan. I’m glad our president took the time to come up with a workable plan instead of running in there half-cocked like some cowboy.

We certainly could have used some “dithering” with the previous administration on many of their military decisions.

There is no way Mr. Obama could have done anything other than what he has.

Look, I didn’t vote for the man; when I want something sweet and comforting to swallow, I prefer Rolling Rock to Kool-Aid. I didn’t vote for the other guy either.

But the military families I know aren’t losing THEIR sense of mission. They are, however, losing their confidence in others’ support of THEM. And that’s a helluva place to be: doing the hardest job on earth, and being outshouted by people who know nothing about the topic but what they heard from Sarah Palin or Amy Goodman.

My view is the Mr. Obama has had to take a more cautious view of these complex matters. Look at how he’s screwing up health care because he wanted to rush it and solution jump, to create the next new boom industry (government-forced health industry services).

I agree with David’s view. I don’t see “devastated” “moral” [sic] in the part of the men and women warriors I know. I see an extreme sense of exhaustion, because this has been a war-role like none other in US history. Sorry, I don’t buy the left platitudes that “it’s Vietnam.”

Also, I seem them aching for some acknowledgment from liberals and the left, rather than the tired old nonsense about baby killing, as well as some mature awareness that appeasement is not always the best strategy. Of the soldiers and their families I talk to, they are mostly weary of feeling beset upon on all sides.

But it is also the case that their attitudes are far more complex and nuanced than any Palin or Sestak (or Zach) kneejerk sound bite representation of them. This is why, these days when the topic is Afghanistan, I most strongly prefer to hear from people who are involved in fighting there. Not people using that to further their careers or posture for their politics.

Finally, what is this thing where Joe Sestak refers to himself in the third person? It was creepy enough when Bobdole did it.

Thinking, deliberating even, before committing our troops to fight a war. What a terrible thing to do.

Whether or not he ultimately makes the correct decision, I am extremely thankful that we have a president who doesn’t rush to war, as his predecessor did. Iraq was an unnecessary war justified on faulty intelligence. If Bush had taken time, like Obama is doing, to think about the decision and to demand proof of (what we now know were) phony claims of weapons of mass destruction, we could have saved the lives of thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, not to mention billions of dollars which our ecomony desperately needs right now to create jobs.

Sadam Hussein’s miltary was contained in a no fly zone and was no danger to anyone when we invaded.
There was no link of Sadam or Iraq to the 9/11 attack. But Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the neocons were hungry to find an excuse to take control of Iraqi oil. (That didn’t work out very well, did it?)

So all you folks who just can’t wait to have SOMEONE ELSE do the fighting for you, just keep putting pressure on Obama to hurry his decision. After all, it’s not like it’s your life being put on the line. So why take the time to think about it?

Tama-
The statement was from Joe’s campaign, not Joe himself, so “third person” was correct. Joey-31 doesn’t refer to himself in the third person (though that 3rd star comes up a lot).

Lee-
Exactly. Besides, there is a difference between sending in troops as your first choice (Bush/Cheney) or as your last (Obama).

What I have also heard is that Obama plans to announce benchmarks to measure the success of the strategy, and to serve as a trigger for leaving (victorious or with our tails between our legs).

If there were clear benchmarks for success/failure, I’d be willing to give Obama some latitude on this.

Sestak shares the tolerance for opposing views with the Global Warming industry: “Shut Up and don’t make me defend our position”

Hope he keeps it up.

DaveB

The oil, gas and coal are the Global Warming industries.

Could you clarify where you think Sestak is on the issue?

Sestak, is trying to get attention. Does’t matter because Toomey is by far the best candidate.