Wheres the patience … and the money?
Here’s another challenge for President Obama: How does he ask the public for patience in combating al Qaeda more than eight years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The nationalism, solidarity, and unity that existed after 9/11 made it easier for George W. Bush to sell the original deployment to Afghanistan and then Iraq have all but disappeared. It’s a more skeptical and war-weary populace that Obama has to win over tonight. And here’s another advantage Bush had: He never had to explain how he’d pay for his wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Speaking of Bush, there were approximately 35,000 troops in Afghanistan before Obama took office. After the 30,000-plus troops get added, it will mean Obama will have more than doubled the troops that Bush sent. That stat alone makes it harder for Republicans to hit the president hard on this issue. By the way, Dick Cheney’s critique today — blasting Obama for projecting “weakness” — appears to be odd timing, since this is the day the president is inf
