No, Senator Obama. Just plain no:
Obama has promised that, if elected president in November, he will send 10,000 more US troops to Afghanistan to bolster the 36,000 already there and intends to press European countries to become more engaged in the fighting.
A timely reminder that no matter who Americans elect in November, we are not, in the foreseeable future, going to be comfortable with their foreign policy.
Yes, Obama is more socially enlightened than the other guy. He is many other good things domestically more than the other guy. But in international affairs he will be sitting atop an unstoppable tragic juggernaut that is already controlling him more than he will ever control it. Well: they are unstoppable internationally until the rest of the world finds the sense and the courage to stop them.
Exactly -- excellent observation.
QOTD
The same post includes comments about Mukasey's speech today.
Oh, nooooo! Not Mukasey's speech!
I'm already drinking because I read Mukasey's speech. Farewell, cruel world, not to mention Western civilization, such as it was. skdadl ain't talkin' till tomorrow.
PS: Digby makes a chilling connection that hadn't occurred to me: if the Americans can get American public attention refocused on Afghanistan (although I think that will be tough in the short term, as long as they are so seriously messed up in Iraq), then they could arouse public paranoia about the detainees at GTMO and other sites all over again.
NB: Mukasey's advice may have been directed at Congress, but he made the speech to the American Enterprise Institute. Try googling them. Mukasey is due up before the House Judiciary Committee this Wednesday. skdadl will be watching.
I'd be pretty certain Mukasey made his speech at the AEI because it's a friendly venue. The people at AEI are primarily responsible for Bush's foreign policy (and supplied much of the staff of the Coalition Provisional Authority). I have to wonder if Mukasey would have been as quick to invite questions had he delivered that speech anywhere else.
Oh, for sure, except ... Mukasey has to face the HJC on Wednesday, and between now and then, the gremlins at EW's place and elsewhere are going to be urging the HJC on ... Not that that often works, but it's worth a try.