In his most recent editorial, Newsweek’s Editor Jon Meacham poses “Why Dick Cheney should run in 2012.” After dismissing the expected “rolling of their eyes dismissively” and warning Liberals not to spit out their lattes, Meacham explains that he is serious about a Dick Cheney bid for the presidential nomination in 2012, as such a run would be “good for Republicans and...

As expected, it was an admirable speech (transcript), regardless of the questionable content, but, then, we’ve come to expect such lofty rhetorical flights from Obama. The tone was serious, which it had to be, and, on the whole, the president made his case effectively, I thought. But do we buy the case? I do not. In making the case for war, Obama sounded at times a lot like Bush. Yes, there was good reason...

No matter how you slice it, President Barack Obama’s announcement last night that he will order another 30000 US troops to Afghanistan is a historical turning point. The question is: which way will it turn? Is it the recipe for success, or political and military failure? One thing for sure: it is a political and military obstacle course with myriad paths that can lead to twists and turns with an unsatisfying...

I am not one who believes that criticizing presidential war policy gives you a big fat F on the litmus test for patriotism. But the high-profile bloggers and media pundits on the far right certainly adhere to that belief. Or at least they did adhere to it, throughout the eight years of the Bush presidency.

Here is a video of President Barack Obama’s complete address on his Afghanistan war policy: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy UPDATE: Here’s the full text of Obama’s speech. UPDATE II: What Obama told reporters earlier in the day at lunch.

On the banks of the Hudson River at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point the country and world heard spelled out the Obama Doctrine by the nation’s commander-in-chief. Kill al Qaeda who murdered more than 3,000 innocent civilians on Sept. 11, 2001, render the Taliban impotent by increasing our troop levels, improve the Afghan security forces and support Pakistan’s government so terrorists never...

The President’s tactics were flawed. It was a good idea, positioning himself as commander on the stage at West Point, as if he were announcing an order of battle in Afghanistan to the 4,600 cadets, which they would have understood and appreciated. But the President had to make it a policy speech, too, and it was not at all a good idea to ask the cadets, at the end of a typical Tuesday at West Point,...

Let me first echo David Adesnik’s remarks on President Obama’s Afghanistan speech. The moral basis for action was clear from the beginning, and Obama proclaimed American supremacy with more robustness than he has ever done before. The obvious point of debate is the 18 month withdrawal order. Adesnik rightly questions just how fast this withdrawal will take place. My sense is that the 18 month withdrawal...

As if you need me to say what I think about this. Almost the equal of MoveOn’s “General Betray-us”. Original image here. Cross-posted at Conventional Folly

Live-blogging below. Bottom line here: The President was crystal clear about why we are sending more troops to Afghanistan. We were attacked on 9/11. If the Taliban take back Afghanistan, Al Qaeda will come back with them. America’s security is directly at stake. Right now, we only have enough troops for a stalemate, not for success. How will our military strategy change in Afghanistan? What will...

As the world awaits the President’s new Afghanistan strategy, the government of Pakistan appears to be throwing down the gauntlet in the event of an Obama “surge.” This editorial from Pakistan’s The Nation warns that a buildup of U.S. troops along the Pakistan border would be bad for the United States, bad for Afghanistan, and nearly catastrophic for Pakistan. The Nation editorial...

Isn’t it time to really say it? Former Vice President Dick Cheney has morphed into a former Vice President who is violating nearly every protocol of the vast majority of former Presidents and former Vice Presidents in American history by not just actively — and repeatedly and loudly — opposing someone of the opposite party who displaced his administration, but is now polarizing the country...

The front page of the Washington Post has already announced that 34,000 new troops will deploy to Afghanistan. The front page of the NY Times says “about 30,000″. So tonight’s speech isn’t about the decision Obama has made. It’s about how he will justify it to his own party and to the American people. Here are five things to listen for: 1. “A war of necessity” Obama...

James Fallows says it’s time to praise George W. Bush, particularly when contrasted with someone else in his administration.

Somewhere in an Afpak cave, the 9/11 mastermind must be smiling as the US takes the next big step in his “bleed-until-bankruptcy” plan to defeat the most powerful nation on earth. Today’s news should reassure Osama bin Laden (and/or his heirs) that the objectives he laid out in November 2004 are working out well–to gaslight his enemies into self-destruction, a term derived from an old...

Jeffrey Goldberg has a few words for those of you disappointed with the President’s decision to boost troops into Afghanistan. H/t Andrew Sullivan.

The US administration is all set for a decisive action in Afghanistan. President Barack Obama’s new strategy being set in motion “for the long haul” has the active support of India and Australia. The sending of additional US troops seems part of a long-term plan, which is likely to witness strategic involvement of the two above mentioned powerful Asia-Pacific nations. It appears that President...

To those worried about President Obama using military regalia tonight to enhance his military/macho image when addressing the nation on Afghanistan from West Point: Relax. The Washington Post, has some good news for you: President Obama will not be wearing a flight suit when he addresses the cadets at West Point on Tuesday night. Nor will he wear a bomber jacket with the presidential seal on the chest, nor...

Kagan & Kristol: Some conservatives are arguing that President Obama’s weakness and indecision forecast American failure–and that, if we’re going to fail, we should just get out now… Some Republicans are understandably dismayed at the prospect of supporting a war they worry this president is incapable of prosecuting with sufficient vigor or conviction. They argue that keeping faith...

Moore has penned an open letter to President Obama, begging him not to send more troops to Afghanistan. And just in time — with all the talk about Lou Dobbs and the rest, the heartland was beginning to forget that the left bows to no one in its willingness to anoint an ignorant loudmouth as its beloved champion. Here’s some of my favorite passages from Moore’s letter: Choose carefully, Mr....

ALONG WITH WOULD-BE ASSASSIN, IRAQI SOLDIERS LAUGH UNDER SIGN THAT SAYS: ‘Assassination attempt against journalist Al Abadi is an assassination attempt against democracy’ The intricacy of America’s role in post-war Iraq has yet to be understood, but a few indications can be discerned by editorials like this one. In the process of toppling Saddam, a startling independent media has emerged. Now...

On the eve of President Obama’s address to the nation outlining his strategy for Afghanistan, the news wires and blogs are brimming with both facts and speculation about what the president will say. There have been sufficient leaks to make it a very fair speculation that “about 30,000” additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan over the next 12 to 18 months. In previous posts I mentioned that NATO...

Andrew Exum, aka Abu Muqawama, has announced that he will be dramatically scaling back his blogging. Exum is a very serious analyst of military issues and his daily presence will be missed. From the comments on his post, you can get a sense of how much he is respected. So why is Exum quitting? He writes: Blogging forces me into more or less split-second reactions to complicated policy events before I have...

In case you missed this editorial on the Arab-Israeli peace process, condescending titled “Diplomacy 101″: The president’s promising peace initiative has unraveled… The Israelis have refused to stop all building. The Palestinians say that they won’t talk to the Israelis until they do, and President Mahmoud Abbas is so despondent he has threatened to quit. Arab states are refusing to do...

Poor Barack Obama! All eyes and ears will turn to West Point tomorrow night (Tuesday, 8pm) where the US president would announce whether he would send more troops to Afghanistan or withdraw them. Once again the world witnesses the tussle between powerful American war machine and “a multitude of young people who were the backbone of Obama’s campaign.” (Update: Meanwhile President Obama will...