Neal A. Maxwell

"Within the swirling global events- events from which we are not totally immune- is humanity's real and continuting struggle: whether or not, amid the cares of the world, we really choose, in the words of the Lord, to "care for the life of the soul." Whatever our anxious involvements with outward events, this inner struggle proceeds in both tranquil and turbulent times. Whether understood or recognized, this is the unchanging moral agendum from generation to generation."


Thursday, November 12, 2009

Afghanistan


While watching my favorite Fox News program, Glenn Beck, I became very agitated. (This usually happens while I watch this show but it's an agitation that I like... being stirred to passion, better stated.) I'm not going to post about my disdain toward President Obama and his lack of "American-ness" that sickens me every time it is reconfirmed. No, I want to sound off about Afghanistan.

Having just celebrated Veteran's Day, fresh on my mind are incredible battle victories and valiant men who gave their life to protect something bigger than themselves. Freedom. Something that isn't understood by the upper echelon of politicians- because surely if they understood it, they would do more to allow it to thrive. I'm not too astute about the goings on of government and so forth. I catch things in the news and form opinions on a limited amount of information. Here is what I know about Afghanistan:

-We have troops there.
-We're suffering an increased and alarming number of casualties
-The most important military commander asked President Obama for more troops
-President Obama has taken a long time to get back with "important military commander" about dire request (meeting six times with staff to discuss it) and still has given no answer

My reaction: Alarm. Get the men and woman of our country out of there if you're not going to commit to fighting this war.

Why doesn't President Obama feel the same urgency and passion for protecting our SERVICEmen as he does for protecting lazy Americans, living in a world of endless entitlement?

Moreover, I just finished Alma and as I read Moroni's letter to Pahoran, I thought about the servicemen in Afghanistan and wonder why we're not responding to their call for aid 40,000 troops strong. And I fear this may not be (though as frightful as this thought is) the case of a waffling Commander-in-Chief, who merely lacks the ability to be decisive. I fear this is the case of a President who doesn't really feel passion for our troops and the cause they are fighting. Could it be that his head is so lost in reforming this greatest nation on earth into a communist/socialist, big government state that he's not stirred up by the losses we are suffering over seas? Is he thinking about the financial cost of investing in the war and how that might hurt his own agenda? Because if he is, I'm.... I'm.... I'm just very disappointed and wonder how we, as a people, can throw the bum out of office.

Now I need to go figure out why we are in Afghanistan. Like I said, not very astute.

2 comments:

Silvs said...

Sorry...had to comment.

What's especially maddening about this is that Afghanistan was one of Obama's big campaign promises - he was the one who kept saying that there's no point in fighting in Iraq, that we needed to focus our energies in Afghanistan because that's where the real war on terror is, and now he won't accept any of his ground commander's suggestions.

We're in Afghanistan because it has served in years passed as the breeding ground for terrorists. It's mountainous terrain and somewhat backwards and primitive way of living and governing provides optimal conditions for allowing such groups as al-Qaeda to thrive.

We overthrew the Taliban government because their ideology permits people like Bin Laden to find a safehaven, and what we've been trying to do the last 6 or so years is stabilize the country and help implant leadership that is at least not so terrorist friendly.

It's sickening.

The Pickled Red Herring said...

Last week when we had Todd & Angie here he spent one night telling us about the past 10 months he spent in Afghanistan, including all his pictures. It was just incredible. He flew medical transport helicopters for people who were injured, including civilians and yes often children. (The terrorists will pay children to collect live land mines for them to use, and their families need the money. Enough said.) Really really crazy stuff...