B.O. and the Lowest Politically Feasible Support

First thing is that last night's speech continued to emphasize that we are in a new era. That all of time is divided between "A.O.", and "B.O." - We're in the First Year After Obama, and all that came Before Obama stunk. He emphasized this more than anything else in a speech that was supposedly about why we should continue the fight in Afghanistan.

Obama's "decision" on Afghanistan and last night's speech was oddly spiritless only if you think it's odd for a Progressive to lack passion when speaking on the subject of our country's foreign enemies (Homework Assignment: Contrast with the passion he displays when talking about his domestic political opponents, or when giving a speech to SEIU on shared goals and battles).

I have a feeling, no proof because there wouldn't be any, but that the number of troops being sent is based not on military need, but simply on what is politically feasible. People are saying it's three-quarters of what General McChrystal recommended, but really it's only half of what he requested, and three-quarters of what was considered the minimal number needed.

My guess is that 30,000 happened to be the bottom number that would prevent resignations among the military leadership. Personally, I think they should resign anyhow on the correct grounds that they are not being given what they feel they need, and the Commander in Chief should replace them with someone who thinks they can do the job with this number.

Likely this is what would happen if no reinforcements were sent, or if Obama sent 20,000, which was what General McChrystal said would be so low as to make no difference. Thus the 30,000 figure was chosen as a false "middle ground", not for reasons of military effectiveness, but a political balancing act by someone who said Afghanistan was the war of necessity when it was politically expedient to do so, but whose heart really isn't in this fight, because Afghanistan isn't the "enemy camp" to them.

His passion, like that of all Progressives, is reserved only for the fight against domestic political opponents. Thus he sprinkled