Going along with the two other blogs that have centered around Obama's new troop surge, I think it is interesting to see the reactions of the Marines and other troops towards the Commander-in-Chief's new move. The article, embedded in the title, talks about how there are mixed feelings about Obama's new troop surge in Afghanistan. Though I'm sure that most Marines dread going overseas, it's certainly interesting to see that many approve of the troop surge as long as it ends the conflict in Afghanistan. "All I ask that man to do, if he is going to send them over there, is to not send them over in vain," commented Bill Thomas of Jacksonville. Thomas's son, Michael, will deploy to Afghanistan next year. However, some complained about the timetable that Obama has set. Obama apparently has stated that with the troop surge, he plans to begin pulling out of Afghanistan in July 2011. Some have opposed this because they feel that the conflict will not be completely resolved given that little time.
I agree. I feel that given the fact that the conflict has dragged on for eight years, our primary goal is to make sure that the area is secure and safe before we leave. Finishing weak might only cause us to go back there again in the near future. It's certainly great that Obama has an endgame strategy in mind, but I think that given the "big picture" we need to focus on resolving the conflict. Don't get me wrong. I do want the troops out as soon as possible, but I also feel that we need to fully resolve the conflict so that we never have to send troops again.
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After watching Obama's speech last night, I debated the pros and cons of his decision with my family. It seems that the men and women at the service academies want to serve their country, and will continue to support this war until it is over. Having an older brother who went to a service academy, I can say with no qualms about it that he wants to serve his country, and he supports this war and the Commander-in-chief. I believe that many of those students at West Point feel quite similarly to him. I do not know how other people in the military, but I think that many who are active duty that were not in the reserves are willing to be sent overseas, and do not dread it. About his speech, I am glad that Obama has set some sort of time table for this war. I hope that this next year and a half will not be in vain. Hopefully, we can cut our losts and made our last attempt to fix the issues in Afghanistan and "win", however that may be defined. I just wonder, now that we have stated our plan, how willing will the Taliban and al Qaeda be to make a surge of influx in their activity. What is stopping them from lowering their activity for the next year and a half? I think that Obama dealt with this issue well, and coming up with a much-needed plan is helpful. I hope that his speech is enough to gain similar country unity and pride to 9/11, and that we can come together for the safety of this country.
-Jane Hayashi-
I completely agree Preston. I think Obama really wants to stay true to his world when he tells Americans that he will bring the troops home, but most important is ending the conflict effectively. If he brings the troops home and there is still conflict, many people would probably feel unrest and it may look as if we didn't do our job. Also.. Obama's approval rating would probably go down if he doesn't solve the conflict by the set date and doesn't solve it WELL. I sort of feel like he's digging a hole for himself by wanting to take the troops out so badly, because if he can't do it.. it'll just be bad for everyone. BUT, if he can, then I bet his approval rating would skyrocket and families would be happy to have their troops home.
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