Fred Thompson Declares The War In Afghanistan ‘Has Been Lost’
Fred Thompson Declares The War In Afghanistan ‘Has Been Lost’
In April 2007, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said that the war in Iraq was “lost” and that the surge was “not accomplishing anything.” Conservatives and war hawks ripped into Reid for the comment, calling it “reckless,” “disturbing” and “playing to the worst elements of the antiwar left.”
One of the fiercest critics of Reid’s Iraq war stance was former senator Fred Thompson, who accused him of “encouraging our enemies”:
But Reid’s comments are not meant for logical analysis. He proclaimed the war lost some time ago, and the surge as a failure even before the additional troops were on the ground. The problem is that every one of Reid’s comments I’ve noted here has also been reported gleefully by Al Jazeera and other anti-American media. Whether he means to or not, he’s encouraging our enemies to believe that they are winning the critical war of will.
But now Thompson is singing a different tune on the appropriateness of declaring an American war “lost.” In a commentary on his radio show today, Thompson declared that the Afghanistan war “has been lost”:
“It really doesn’t matter how President Obama divides the Afghan baby, how he splits the difference between McChrystal and Biden. Because the war has been lost,” Thompson said on his radio show today. “I say this because of one sad and simple fact. The president does not have the will and determination to do what’s necessary to win it. His heart’s not in it, and never has been. The Taliban knows it. Al Qaeda knows it. Our allies know it. And the American people know it.
“Our enemies are now emboldened and our friends are discouraged. We cannot prevail if the American people are not willing to make the sacrifices necessary for an extended effort. The case has not been made to them to justify this effort. The case can only be made by the president. This president is unable or unwilling to make that case,” Thompson said.
Listen here:
According to Thompson’s own logic, his declaration of defeat today — “whether he means to or not” — is “encouraging our enemies to believe that they are winning the critical war of will.”
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Yeah? Thanks for sharing, moron. Where were you 2 or 3 years ago, eh?
November 19th, 2009 at 3:42 pmClassic repug, we need more dead Americans and alot more money that we don’t have for a hopeless cause.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:43 pmBoundless Hypocrisy must be this jerks middle name.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:44 pmWay to route for al-Qaeda, Fred. Are you angling to play bin Laden in a movie?
With all seriousness, the war HAS been lost. At least from a tactical standpoint. We accomplished two of our goals (overthrowing the Taliban government and dismantling the mujahedin training camps) and failed miserably on two others (capturing/killing bin Laden and al-Zawahiri and creating a stable democracy). The only thing left to do is declare a limited victory and begin withdrawal. NATO allies are likely to do the same, and Afghanistan can continue its long-fought civil war in peace. So to speak.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:44 pmAnother republican that thinks the things they said in the past are lost forever.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:44 pmanother GOP expert on war. Maybe you and your butt buddy Dumbya should have actually considered the consequences of invading in the first place.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:44 pmLook closely at the credits for the old Law and Order re-runs. I think that’s his official SAG credit.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:45 pmwhen did we declare war on the taliban?
November 19th, 2009 at 3:49 pmI guess Fred won’t be invited on Faux News anytime to soon. He broke the code of silence. ‘ALWAYS side with the war profiteers.’
November 19th, 2009 at 3:49 pmSurrender Monkey!!!
Ahh… I’ve been waiting years to turn that one back on them :D
November 19th, 2009 at 3:49 pmBecause the war has been lost,” Thompson said
It has been lost the minute BUSH took his eyes off it and put them on IRAQ.
By the way Fred, NO ONE HAS EVER WON THERE….EVER…..idiot.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:49 pmFor not liking Hollywood, the Republicans sure do like their Hollywood politicians.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:49 pmYou would think these guys would have read the History wouldn’t you? Not even Alexander the Great could topple Afghanistan. Youknow the old adage, ‘Those who don’t read History are bound to repeat it.’
November 19th, 2009 at 3:52 pmSob! The war in Iraq has been lost. They aren’t waiting for Congress to verify their status as the 51st state. Oh, the agony. And Afghanistan, when will their petition for statehood be heard?
November 19th, 2009 at 3:53 pmThe war is lost!?
Oh no, the sky is falling,
the sky is falling
Monster snark
November 19th, 2009 at 3:54 pmLOL! Where are the trolls. I guess they can’t come up with retort to Fred’s remarks. Oh wait, they will just say he is a senile old fool. Funny, WE have been saying that for years!
November 19th, 2009 at 3:55 pmCome on, now..be fair. Alexander of Macedon took most of a country which would be called Afghanistan 2 millenia later.
It’s just that no one has won there SINCE.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:55 pmHere is more repug logic:
Americans would elect a ham sandwich for president if it would promise them jobs and a higher income.
–Ron Bonjean, GOP strategist
November 19th, 2009 at 3:56 pmAnd Thompson’s opinion matters because……?
November 19th, 2009 at 3:57 pmBuckie Boy says:
By the way Fred, NO ONE HAS EVER WON THERE….EVER…..idiot
Hate to disagree with you Buckie, but the Afhans are batting a 1000 in wars there. But you’re right about grampa Fred, he is an idiot.
November 19th, 2009 at 3:58 pmHe has a radio show? Is it on between The Adventures of Tom Mix and The Colgate Variety Hour?
November 19th, 2009 at 3:59 pmFred Thompson is as correct about the war in Afghanistan as Reid was about the war in Iraq. And in both cases, it has less to do with us not having “the will and determination to do what’s necessary to win it” as it has to do with us not having a clue what “victory” would look like?
What’s our objective in Afghanistan? Or Iraq? How can we “win” if we don’t even know what that is?
I applaud President Obama for trying to salvage something from our mistakes in that part of the world, but at this point, it’s best to just cut our losses and get out. The last thing Obama needs is for “Bush’s Disatrous War” to become “Obama’s Disastrous War”.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:00 pmHam Sandwhich (R-MS) beats Rudy Guiliani in Republican primary after recieving endorsement from Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Rush Limbaugh, only to get blown out by Barack Obama. Sandwhich then accuses ACORN of rigging election.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:00 pmGlad to know old Freddy boy is here to inform us of this.
And I’m the President, because I play one on TV…
November 19th, 2009 at 4:04 pmnow where did I put that bottle? I know it’s around here somewhere
Sorry to say this, but Mr. Thompson is looking more and more like this guy.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:05 pmWe lost? OK, let’s bring all of the troops home.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:05 pmwell said missmolly.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:06 pmIt has been said that all unjust wars are lost. Afghanistan and Iraq were lost when the first bombs fell and now we face decades of atonement. With a little luck, our grandchildren mat be able to escape the guilt.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:08 pmI am still waiting for any Republican to articulate just what a ‘win’ means in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:09 pmFrom the back row winning is no longer important. Especially since there is nothing left to win. The hearts and minds were lost back in the carter days and without that we got nothing. Why keep wasting our youth in a meat grinder with no end in sight.
Bad policy is not rectified with continued bad policy.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:13 pmOops! “may be able…”
November 19th, 2009 at 4:13 pmWhy do dumb asses rise to Republican power?
November 19th, 2009 at 4:16 pmWell when contractors are paying off, and have been since Dubbys term, Taliban and other warlords, to protect shipments/convoys they are financing the warlords.
Its been a giant expensive wreckless boondoggle. Worse the government is just as corrupt as the warlords.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:17 pmHoodathink says:
Let me try to answer that:
November 19th, 2009 at 4:19 pmTo a Repiggie, a “win” means a puppet government propped up by American bayonets doing our bidding for as long it takes for “private enterprise”(read U.S. oil companies) to steal as much oil as possible for as long as possible.
Imperialism at its finest.
Hoodathunk says:
I am still waiting for any Republican to articulate just what a ‘win’ means in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
I think it means getting home field advantage in the playoffs.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:20 pm“Our enemies are now emboldened and our friends are discouraged…”
I take it that Thompson thinks that this, all of a sudden, happened last January and has absolutely nothing to do with 8 interminable years under the Bush Admin ???????????
November 19th, 2009 at 4:20 pmI bet Oblahblah wont pull the troops out…
November 19th, 2009 at 4:24 pmWhy does Fred look like he just got goosed with an icicle?
November 19th, 2009 at 4:25 pmThompson/Lieberman 2012~!~
November 19th, 2009 at 4:25 pmFred i am confused here was not it Mission Accomplished? and if so how can you lose something you have accomplished?
anyways i bet the spin trolls be here in a few
November 19th, 2009 at 4:26 pmFred Thompson doesn’t know jack sh*t, and all rightwingers know his opinion is worthless.
It’s Jon Voight’s opinion that counts……
Seriously, has anyone else noticed how weird it is that once some Hollywood clown/actor/comedian, etc. can’t find work anymore they start shilling for the GOP?
Today’s GOP: where the “D” list thrives.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:30 pmApe-Man says:
Why do dumb asses rise to Republican power?
cause they are dumb asses
smiles
November 19th, 2009 at 4:31 pmtttc’s a natural-born Thompson man,
right, t-t-t-?
should he draft SarahP or JoetheP to run with him?????
are you as excited about The Thompson Insurgency as you should be?
November 19th, 2009 at 4:31 pmAdd Afghanistan to the long list of Shrub Bush’s failures. Place it in the “epic” fail category.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:32 pmObama has lost the war.
Poor Obama. Sort of like how Nixon lost the war in Vietnam.
Tell me, TTTC, just what is your definition of winning the war entail?
November 19th, 2009 at 4:32 pmRight from the Law and Order script just love Grampa Thompson. Look the old man gave up an easy job to run for President. He showed he had no idea what was going on in the USA and made a complete fool of himself while losing his job. Now he’ll have to fine a new way to earn an income to keep that young wife and little kids. Thompson is glad Viagra is covered by Health Care. Now just think Thompson was famous for leaking the Commission’s information about Watergate to Nixon. When we these old timers realize it’s not 1950 anymore.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:32 pmTo “win” this “war” it would take hundreds of thousands of troops (actual numbers, Foxical ones) to destroy any resistance. Think of the Powell Doctrine. It would take 5 to 10 years after “mission accomplished” of occupation to provide security for a legitimate and honest govt. to establish itself. And the cost would make the current healthcare bill look like chump change.
President Bush knew this and avoided it just as hard as he avoided questions on his cocaine use.
After 9/11 I wanted to see the erradication of AQ and those that habor them (Taliban). But soon after our initial invasion of Afghanistan there was evidence of a lack of commitment to follow thru by the Bush administration.
We’ve now wallowed there for over 6 years. We’ve spend billions and destroyed thousands of lives. We’ve allowed our soldiers to become pawns and targets without a clear thought on what the “end game” is.
I respect President Obama for taking his time. I’m hoping he’s weighing all the losses(both current and future) against any gain that may now become of this mess.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:35 pmEnnuiDivine says:
Alexander of Macedon took most of Afghanistan…had to look up his empire map and yep, guess he did…did not know this. I thought it was Syria, Greece and Eygpt, but it was alot larger than that….always good to know history better. Thanks.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:35 pmI like to get military information from guys that you know, actually served at one time in thier life.
what a drooling moron.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:37 pmTTTC says:
Killing the enemy?
And who is the enemy? Their entire population? Or just the half that is on our side at the moment who wants to kill the other half?
You are such an supreme idiot.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:37 pmHow was bush winning the war?
November 19th, 2009 at 4:38 pmMaplestreet@36 is correct. For almost 7 years, Afghanistan was not a big issue under Bush. Now Obama is in office 1 year and he has done nothing to change the status quo and the Republicans are bleating about losing the war. They should join Bin Laden and go hide in the caves.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:38 pmKilling the enemy?
ERRRR, wrong answer. Killing the enemy is what one does in a war. Obviously if you kill all the enemies, you win but that would mean there would be no more Germans, no more Japanese in the world. Since this isn’t true…
Define what winning means.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:13 pmJAPAN’S CHRYSANTHEMUM ARMOR WARRIOR
[VICTORY IS FLEETING]
The American-Israeli Empire has turned away from any teaching of any faith or religion, that in anyway has any resemblance to that of the Tathagata, their intentions are neither righteous nor serve justice, but serve only the tyranny of the bottom line, it is just business, and therefore their armies no matter what earthly protections were given them, what technological advances they possess meet with failure, and their enterprises have been short live. The Empire by having chosen to walk the path of the tyranny of the bottom line; Stimulus, Blood for Oil, Resource and Markets Wars, their Empire once victorious has forgotten the instability of earthly things, their success has been great but the wheel of fortune has turned and the Empire is falling into the dust. The Armies of the Empire fear their enemies more than death at their own hands committing suicide in record numbers; they have been given over to their enemies.
[The Feather Robe]
The Kyodo News has shown their weak media proclaimed Messiah Imperial President bowing to the Emperor Akihito and Empress of Japan, displacing both seritorship and fealty to the Emperor, your letters of grief burned upon the summit of Mt. Fujiyama, have risen to the heavens stirring compassion for the long suffering People of The Land of The Rising Sun, the feather robe has been placed once again upon your nation, all of your sadness will be of the past, the heavens will once again be compassionate, the chill winds of the evening of occupation will be lifted, the Sun rises from the east over the Mountain Abounding with Warriors, the beauty of the Chrysanthemum, and the smell of the Cherry Blossom, will once again flow over the Land of The Rising Sun.
[The Samurai of the Mountain Abounding with Warriors]
A Samurai Warrior of the Mountain Abounding with Warriors has been dispatched wearing the Chrysanthemum Armor of State, a Sangokushi manga, of the Three Kingdoms, from the [9th] District of Hokkaid? [PM] Prime Minster Yukio Hatoyama of the [LDP] Liberal Democratic Party, no longer will the Land of the Rising Sun be occupied nor subservient to the falling American-Israeli Empire, the great wheel of fortune has turned against them. The Samurai of Mt. Fujiyama, Yukio “Sangokushi manga” Hatoyama, has ended the support of The American-Israelis Empire War of Stimulus, Blood for Oil, Resource and Markets, ending Japan’s refueling missions within the Indian Ocean of their fleets, and will call for the ending of the [2006] agreement allowing the [47K] Forty-Seven Thousand, Foothold Troops of Asian Occupation, to remain on Japanese soil, demanding their total removal from Japan, and its occupation of the southern Japanese Island of Okinawa, with the closing of their Marine Corp Air Station Futenma. The Samurai of Mt. Fujiyama, Yukio “Sangokushi manga” Hatoyama, has called for a closer relationship with China, with the creation of a [16] Sixteen Nation currency trading bloc within the Asian Sphere of Chinese Influence, as the Euro represents the nations of the [EU] European nations linking the [10] Ten, [ASEAN] Association of Southeast Asian Nations, countries, who already want a single currency by [2020] the generally accepted end of the American-Israeli Empire, member would include; Japan, China, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand and India.
[The Fall of the American-Israeli Empire]
With the fall of the American-Israeli Empire by [2020], the ripples of Change are spreading across the globe, new alliances are forming and new realities must be embraced, it is now up to the Dreamers, Thinkers, and Workers of this the New Era, too create the New Spheres of Influence Dynamic Society in which they will be the masters of their fate, with the ending of the American-Israeli Empire a new day, and a new world has begun. It is good that the time of the end of the Empire has come.
HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN
November 19th, 2009 at 5:17 pmTTTC says
November 19th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Obama has lost the war.
____________________________________________________________
Wrong again. “Obama” has not lost the war. Not unless Bush was winning it before last January.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:20 pmThose pesky Taliban…
We WON, they LOST…but they won’t STAY LOST.
What did they do?…hide their AK 47s under the bed and blend in with the other Goat Herders? They act like time is on their side. Why aren’t the Good Afghanis being loyal to their Govt.
What’s so bad about being shaken down, now and then?
Hmmmm
November 19th, 2009 at 5:21 pmThe war in Afghanistan was lost at the beginning when the rep.Bush administration passed on getting OBL and focused on stealing Iraqi oil.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:26 pmSince the first year the effort has been to create puppet states which never goes well and may never succeed. Under no condition would a Kharzai or Taliban government be able to control the country overall. GWB is right “mission impossible”.
The best bet is to walk away from these wars and try to make some adult friendships, while preparing Terrorist defenses.
Unfortunately Republican nature is similar to that of a two year old with a live grenade in that the greatest threat to the USA and the world is the Republican neo con party. They are never satisfied with peace, riches or anything else.
To add a dumb question:
Didn’t the US under a neocon president provide weapons and training to the Taliban ? Regan, Reagan, Reagean, something like that ?
How’d that foreign policy work out ?
November 19th, 2009 at 5:27 pmThis Forrest Gump impersonator is a traitor…and during a time of war no less…giving our enemies aid and comfort by declaring the war lost…
/snark
November 19th, 2009 at 5:32 pmObama has lost the war.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:32 pm—
Might you be more specific? Thanks
TTTC says:
Reid made his dispicable comments long ago. Thompson is right, now. Obama has lost the war.
This is a classic move; Once the Democratic president is in there, proclaim that we have lost the war and try to pin the blame on losing on the Democrat…
November 19th, 2009 at 5:33 pmTTTC says:
just what is your definition of winning the war entail?
—
Killing the enemy?
Yes we all know where body counts took us…just look up Vietnam War…By your standards, we won that war because we killed millions of Vietnamese while only losing 58,000 killed…
November 19th, 2009 at 5:34 pmThis is laughable. They’ve basically said the same thing!
This such a typical mentality. It’s the right thing if a republican does it, but if a democrat does the same thing you think it’s treason.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:45 pmMight you be more specific? Thanks
November 19th, 2009 at 5:32 pm Vote Up | Vote Down | (-1)
November 19th, 2009 at 5:56 pm—
Is that a no? Are you acknowledging that your words have no substance?
Caption Contest:
“The poop in my Depends is getting cold and squishy.”
November 19th, 2009 at 10:10 pmI’m not a Thompson cheerleader, but it doesn’t seem anybody here sees any difference between what Reid and Thompson said?
Even the mangled quote above points out Thompson’s statement is based solely on the President’s lack of will. Reid’s was not. It doesn’t get much simpler. At this point, we know Reid was wrong. Time will tell whether Thompson’s statement was insightful. Yet nearly everyone here feigns equivalence when there aren’t even parallels.
If you can’t/won’t appropriately handle the difference, the rest of us are left questioning the value of and paying for your contribution. It’s past time to raise our bar.
November 19th, 2009 at 10:20 pmPursueTruth says:
Keep pursuing, maybe you’ll find truth someday. But you certainly won’t find it in the words of Fred Thompson. Note that, despite his claim that his opinion that “the war has been lost” is based on “one sad and simple fact“, he prefaces his claim with “It really doesn’t matter how President Obama divides the Afghan baby, how he splits the difference between McChrystal and Biden.” Thompson’s opinion that “The president does not have the will and determination to do what’s necessary to win it” is based on exactly what? What does Fred think is “necessary to win it”, and what exactly is his definition of “winning”?
I question the value of Thompson’s opinion, as well as the value of your own “contribution.” There is nothing ’simple’ about the Afghanistan situation, and only a simple-minded person would think so.
November 19th, 2009 at 10:48 pmJane, I would suggest we recommend thoughts on their merits, instead of their author. Unless it’s so blatantly biased, or once a pattern presents itself… And of course you didn’t address the point that on their “war’s lost” comments, they’re not the same, Reid’s been proven wrong, Thompson still has some time, and everyone who pretends those facts are ignorable does themselves and us a disservice in likely many other ways as well (because its so blatant).
Being unsuccessful because a commander in chief lacks the interest or will is most definitely one thing that is ‘simple’ about any military action.
My “contribution” was to give this thread as an example of why we need to raise the bar. Our different world-views aside, could we work together on that?
November 20th, 2009 at 12:09 amFred Thompson is an actor.
November 20th, 2009 at 5:23 amcaption…
“I just swallowed my cigar!”
November 20th, 2009 at 5:24 amIt is a sad fact that the Afghanistan War too is a false war. These terrorists do not stay in one place or in one country, they are all over. And we are not at war with any one country, this is a fallacy. WE are at war with an ideology, yes or evil, yes, but we are not at war with any country. WE have terrorists in our own country who are not Muslims, does this make us at war with the United States?
November 20th, 2009 at 6:50 amPursue
You are not only wrong you are brainwashed. What REID said was the war was lost IF we kept fighting it the way Bush was THEN fighting it. He WASNT WRONG. He was absolutly right. First of all nothing about Iraq can be considered a victory, second things ONLY got better when the Bush administration took his advice and CHANGED THEIR TACTICS. Thompson is a propagandist. He wants to do what rightwing morons usually do. Rewrite the history to erase THEIR culpability and blame the Dems. Just like in Vietnam. Ignorant rightwing propagandists are STILL trying to say we were just about to win that war but the Dems quit too soon. I am sure there are some people stupid enough to buy the BS you are pushing. I doubt they are HERE though
November 20th, 2009 at 1:20 pm