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October 29, 2009

Obama uses arrival of fallen troops at Dover as a photo-op (Updated)

Topics: Political News and commentaries

One side of me sees this as a president paying respects to our fallen troops, while the more cynical, and perhaps realistic, side of me sees this as carefully choreographed, cynical, ploy using our fallen troops as a campaign-like photo-op to make look like he actually gives a damned about our troops dying while he "dithers" and ponders what appears to be a likely prescription for tragedy.

Via ABC News, Jake Tapper reporting:

[...] DOVER, DEL. -- Earlier this year President Obama lifted the 18-year ban on media coverage of the return of fallen soldiers to Dover, a ban critics said hid the costs of war from the American people. Thursday morning President Obama -- who is weighing new strategy in Afghanistan -- saw those costs up close.

President Obama made an unscheduled, overnight trip to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware overnight to observe up close a "solemn dignified transfer movement," the event which marks the return to the US of the remains of fallen service members.

Military and White House officials said this particular movement involved the incoming remains of 15 service members and 3 Drug Enforcement Administration agents who were killed in Afghanistan on October 26th. This is the first time President Obama has participated in this type of military event. The president also met with the families of the fallen.

A senior White House official tells ABC News that President Obama has wanted to do this ever since the policy of media coverage of the return of fallen troops was changed earlier this year, but he wanted to do so "in a way that caused the least amount of disruption."

[...] Obama's participation in this sad military tradition comes at a critical time for the President, as he weighs sending as many as 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan. President Obama continues to deliberate with his commanders and advisors and will likely announce his decision after the Afghan elections on November 7 and before he departs for Asia on November 11, though the announcement could come after he returns from the Asia trip.

The president, sources said, is leaning towards adopting a strategy that would send more troops to Afghanistan, though not 40,000, the number Gen. Stanley McChrystal has requested.

Read it all ...

As Max Boot noted at Commentary, "The administration seems intent on doing just enough to keep the war effort going without doing enough to win it" and "it places US troops in harm's way without giving them a chance to prevail":

To Washington politicians, this no doubt sounds like a sensible compromise. To anyone steeped in military strategy it sounds as if it could be a prescription for tragedy.

And it appears to my cynical side that Barack Obama is willing to go to disgustingly cynical lengths to sell his prescription for disaster in the course of his never-ending campaign mode.

Update: Pete Hagseth is clearly less cynical than I am, and sees Obama's Dover visit as "a classy move" that he believes underscores the serious nature with which President Obama is approaching his forthcoming Afghanistan decision. For the sake of the families of our fallen heroes, I'd much rather his opinion reflect Obama's true intentions, but until I see Obama's actions begin to coincide with his rhetoric, I'll continue to maintain my cynical view of his appearances at events such as at Dover.

Posted by Abdul at October 29, 2009 7:09 AM

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