Punishing the Irresponsible

http://mobile.nytimes.com/article?a=154665&f=20

To now I consider myself a staunch critic of the war, but one that finds the notion of criminal or impeachment proceedings against the President ridiculous. He is a decent person doing his best with an admittedly complex situation. And since I agree with the philosophy that a President is chosen to provide strategic leadership and so should ignore tactical public polling, have been deferrential to that.

No more. The news that he is going to keep the troop deployment constant but willl cut tours to 12 months beginning in August bares naked the simple truth that he has discarded his sacred oath to our nation, military, and most of all the men and women that have accepted the call to duty to defend our nation. Rather than honor their commitment and repay them with the respect that if called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice it shall be for country and god, not vanity, he has cast them over a precipice because he is too afraid to admit defeat or folly.

Why the dramatic reaction? Because if he truly believed that current levels were necessary to stabilize the situation he wouldn't be pushing a policy solely designed to give aid and comfort to himself at the expense of the commanders 12 months from now is reprehensible. The new 12 month policy and the continued commitment to 140,000 total just means that come June 2009, when the extra man power afforded by the current extended tours dissipates, the military will have no flexibility.

Then you can be sure the (then ex) president and his reckless crew will have no trouble decrying the traitorous withdrawl or your extensions the next president is forced into.