Same Song, Different War

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For those of us who are old enough, President Obama sounded a lot like LBJ during last night's address to the nation on his intent to ramp up war operations in that insignificant country. 

For you younger kids, he sounded very much like Bush II (I wonder if hes using Bush's speech writer?).

During the height of the Viet Nam conflict in 1967, folk singer Pete Seeger appeared on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" and sang  "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy", a pointed reference to how bogged down the US had become in that ugly, senseless war.

Last night Obama was no different than LBJ.

The rhetoric was the same - we need just a few more troops, a little more time and more tax dollars to win the war.

It was Johnson's constant refrain for Viet Nam,  just as it was Bush II's for Iraq. 

The problem is, we don't have the cash (Wall Street and the TARP companies got it), we barely have the troops and most importantly, Obama, like Bush, is taking on the wrong enemy.

The Taliban is not a global terrorist network like Al Quaeda.  They are all about local control.  Al Quaeda is the one with international terrorist aspirations. The Taliban didn't attack the US on 9-11. Al Quaeda operatives, based in Saudi Arabia, funded by the Saudi's, did.

Obama's speech sounded way too much like LBJ - we can and must bring down the enemy; we're nation building for the safety of the US and the world. 

Please notice how quickly the other countries of the world are ponying up soldiers, materials and money to help.  Yes there are token presences from some of our allies but this is not a global fight.  You dont' see UN troops or NATO troops.  So much for the global fight on terrorism.

LBJ and McNamara had it wrong. Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld got it wrong. Now Obama is sliding down the same slippery slope.

Regardless of his stated timetable, you can bet we'll continue to wage some sort of war in Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan for many years to come.  We'll do it until we're forced to tuck our tail between or legs and scurry off like the Soiet Union did some 25 years ago. Or like we did in Viet Nam.

This is a mistake.  It will cost American lives, money and stability.  And for what?  One more attempt at nation building?  One more atempt to pretend we're the defenders of the world?

And what will we get in return?  Cheaper poppies?  Hamid Karzai designer wear? 

After eight year's of Bush's war we are still, to quote Pete Seger, "waste deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to move on".

When Seeger sang that song on national TV, the big fool was LBJ.

After last night's speech, Obama picked up where Johnson left off.