Theodore's World: RNC Chairman Michael Steele Opposing the Troops in Afghanistan

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July 03, 2010

RNC Chairman Michael Steele Opposing the Troops in Afghanistan



Michael Steele speaking at an RNC fundraising event in Noank, Connecticut, where he actually said that the War in Afghanistan is a “War of Obama’s choosing.”

The audio is difficult to hear, so here is a transcript of the key portion of what Steele said:

Transcript via YouTube posting of video:

“The [General] McChrystal incident, to me, was very comical. I think it’s a reflection of the frustration that a lot of our military leaders has with this Administration and their prosecution of the war in Afghanistan. Keep in mind again, federal candidates, this was a war of Obama’s choosing. This was not something that the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in. It was one of those areas of the total board of foreign policy [that was at least?] that we would be in the background sort of shaping the changes that were necessary in Afghanistan as opposed to directly engaging troops. But it was the President who was trying to be cute by half by flipping a script demonizing Iraq, while saying the battle really should in Afghanistan. Well, if he is such a student of history, has he not understood that you know that’s the one thing you don’t do, is engage in a land war in Afghanistan? Alright, because everyone who has tried over a thousand years of history has failed, and there are reasons for that. There are other ways to engage in Afghanistan…”

Bill Kristol has pointed out that what Steele says here is absolutely false, and he has called on Steele to resign in the wake of this:

The Weekly Standard: Needless to say, the war in Afghanistan was not “a war of Obama’s choosing.” It has been prosecuted by the United States under Presidents Bush and Obama. Republicans have consistently supported the effort. Indeed, as the DNC Communications Director (of all people) has said, your statement “puts [you] at odds with about 100 percent of the Republican Party.” .


Obama can be criticized for a lot of things, but the War in Afghanistan is not a “war of Obama’s choosing.” We moved into Afghanistan just months after the September 11, 2001 attacks that killed 3,000 of our citizens. We did it to go after Al-Qaeda for planning and carrying out the attacks, and The Taliban for harboring and assisting them. That is exactly what we should have done, and we now need to finish the job. The last thing our men and women in uniform need is a leader of the Republican Party who is publicly saying we cannot win there, and questioning the necessity of their mission there. It is time for Michael Steele to resign.


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Wild Thing's comment.......

Steele should be landing easy shots on the Dems. Not this crap!!!



Posted by Wild Thing at July 3, 2010 06:55 AM


Comments

Sometimes I think Steele actually wants Democrats to win as statements like this help them.

Posted by: BobF at July 3, 2010 08:29 AM


Steele is the RNC's version of Joe "the Gaffe" Biden. Both men talk too much.

Posted by: TomR, armed in Texas at July 3, 2010 09:36 AM


Steele is the ultimate "Affirmative Action" hiree.

He is what the Republican establishment,(read RINO) thinks a representative Black man is.

Since he has been the head of the RNC, there has been little movement toward strengthening the party, along Conservative lines.Need evidence? Look at some of the candidates they have supported.

This incident along with Lindsay Graham's recent statement regarding the Tea Party movement, "That it will eventually die out.", say all you need to know about the state of the Leadership(?) in the Republican party.

The likes of Sarah Palin, Jan Brewer and Michelle Bachmann, are much more reflective of what "true Republicans believe. These ladies actually scare the hell out of the Media and the Elitists.

The aforementioned gentlemen are either tolerated or dismissed with a chuckle.

Posted by: Sean at July 3, 2010 11:12 AM


LOL Sean, well stated.
The likes of Sarah Palin, Jan Brewer and Michelle Bachmann, are much more reflective of what "true Republicans believe. These ladies actually scare the hell out of the Media and the Elitists.
They scare the hell out of the RNC, the RINO Nominating Committee.

Posted by: Jack at July 3, 2010 01:09 PM


No more RINOs! Replace him with a conservative!

Posted by: Anonymous at July 3, 2010 07:25 PM


That would be a novel idea replacing Steele with a Conservative, yeah, good idea.

Maybe Steele just wants out, but this is too easy.

Posted by: Mark at July 3, 2010 09:06 PM


I agree, I believe he wants out!!

Posted by: jan at July 4, 2010 06:41 PM