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Originally Posted by Derwood
He's boxed in because we're already entrenched in the conflict, which limits his options.
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Did he create the "box" by taking the position that Afghanistan was the "right" war when he ran for President?
If Afghanistan has become the "wrong" war does Obama have the courage to admit that it is the "wrong" war and change direction? If not is he worthy to be President in your opinion?
---------- Post added at 07:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:58 PM ----------
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Originally Posted by ratbastid
To blindly say "his decision sets the course" is only useful if you are looking to scapegoat him.
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Isn't one of the perils of leadership to take blame for the actions taken under one's leadership?
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He operates inside a fairly tight set of constraints--both logistical and political.
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This I do not understand, hence my questions. Obama basically has three military strategic choices, escalation, status quo, or de-escalation, so I agree that to a certain extent his broad options are limited, but given those broad options aren't his choices his own? He also defines the military goal, doesn't he?
---------- Post added at 07:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:03 PM ----------
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Originally Posted by roachboy
assume that you've been appointed head vassal in some imaginary court and the queen has died.
she died during the administration of your predecessor as head vassal, who in turn was bumped outta office during the process of arranging for the funeral.
now you have to arrange the rest of the funeral.
you are boxed in by the fact of when you come into the office.
you might wonder whether the queen should have died, but basically the fact is that you are stuck in place during the funeral arrangement process and even that is not entirely under your control.
so yeah.
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You are clearly asking if I agree, and I don't. First, I have the choice of not assuming the position of my predecessor. Even to the extent "they" try to force me, I could choose death, imprisonment or some other consequence. Second, if I assume the position of my predecessor I have the option of fulfilling the queens final wishes as I interpret them. To the degree I am "locked in" I can clearly explain the circumstance and then take a new direction if I choose. With support and agreement I can change the direction of the arrangements. If I don't have support the "lock" I encounter is due to the lack of support not my predecessor. In the case of Afghnistan, I agree Bush and Congress started and continued the war for 8 years, however, Obama can immediately initiate plans to get out of the war if he chose to do so, he has not.
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the obama administration is boxed in that way.
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I think Obama is doing what he wants to do, or he is a coward bowing down to some ego driven political pressure to appear strong and the potential embarrassment of changing his mind. The thought of the second option makes me shiver given the potential consequences, but history has been defined on reasons with less reason and history tends to repeat.