Obama Gets a Clue?

[Valin]

Power Line:

Steven Hayward

October 15, 2015

 

Back in late 1979 and early 1980, Jimmy Carter finally got a clue. To be sure, it took the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan—the first ever direct use of Soviet troops outside of its post WWII sphere of influence in Eastern Europe—to get Peanut-Brain to concentrate adequately. He announced the Carter Doctrine (declaring that any Soviet move toward the Persian Gulf would constitute an attack on U.S. vital interests), called for increased defense spending, and announced a boycott of the Moscow Olympics. He even read Churchill’s The Gathering Storm, figuring out, rather late, that dictatorial powers need to be resisted stoutly. In other words, he finally seemed to acquire an ordinate fear of Communism.

 

Barack Obama has been making Carter look pretty good by comparison from day one of his administration. Has Obama finally had his Jimmy Carter moment? Today Obama will announce that he is reversing his decision to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan. News reports indicate he will keep U.S. forces there until after his presidency ends. But did he wake up and smell the coffee? These paragraphs from the Wall Street Journal report out early today gives an important clue:

 

(Snip)

 

I doubt Obama has fundamentally changed his mind at all. But the political risk of the Middle East becoming even more unstable is too great a political risk to his long-term legacy to tolerate. Facts are stubborn things. “Leading from behind” indeed, as Michael Ramirez notes here:

 

[Valin]

Meanwhile

Taliban overruns district in Farah province
Bill Roggio
October 15th, 2015


The Taliban has seized control of the district of Bala Buluk in the western Afghan province of Farah today after more than a week of fighting. The group made the claim on its propaganda website, Voice of Jihad, and said it was preparing an assault on Farah city, the provincial capital:

(Snip)

The Taliban’s claim is backed by reports in the Afghan media. According to Khaama Press, police in the district had been surrounded and the district police chief reportedly abandoned his men, while the fate of dozens of policemen is unknown:

 

 

Taliban have attacked a number of security posts in Bala Buluk District of western Farah province. Reports suggest that dozens of Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP) have been surrounded by Taliban in this district. A policeman told Khaama Press by telephone that Taliban are about 100 meters away from them.

 

Yelling for help, he said “if immediate support does not arrive to Shiwan area, we will all die.” He further said that two policemen have embraced martyrdom and six others wounded so far. A reliable security source who wished not to be named said that around 50 policemen are encircled in the area.

 

He added that Humayoun Dilawar who is the police commander there has escaped to the provincial capital. But the police commander rejected report about escaping from the area. Dilawar said he is trying to prepare support for the policemen who have been surrounded for three days.

 

 

(Snip)

 

The Taliban now controls 33 districts and contests another 37, according to data compiled by The Long War Journal (see map). The group has made a push to gain territory over the past several weeks and seized a dozen districts in the north, west, and south.

[clearvision]

A force of 5000 I assume would be about 1000 combat, and 4000 support. 1000 "guys" divided by 3 shifts a day is not a very big force...