Article

2009-02-02 Afghanistan

Obama Call for More NATO Troops May Go Unheeded

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Posted by Steve White 2009-02-02 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 Cordesman's clap-trap is entirely correct. The Euros can hardly help themselves. Oh wait, that's precisely what we were asking them to do! Hat tip to the Obama geopolitical analysis cell. Your grade on this paper came back a D- but you're still in the game.

Posted by Besoeker 2009-02-02 08:28|| 2009-02-02 08:28|| Front Page Top

#2 O really seems to write a lot of letters. Is he already covering his rear end?

Posted by DoDo 2009-02-02 11:30|| 2009-02-02 11:30|| Front Page Top

#3 Wow, seems Tony 1,000 Annexes And Charts Cordesman has really gone off the shallow end here.

Our "mistakes"? Right, Tony. Those savvy, responsible, capable, experienced Euros just won't involve themselves with those bumbling Americans and all their mistakes.

Steve has it right. The failures of most Euros (moral, material, intellectual) here are exactly the same as in all other areas of international security - there is no question of them altering their behavior due to perceived "mistakes". Cordesman is trying to sound like an idiot just to fit in with the current (and not brand-new) Beltway fashion, or what?

Posted by Verlaine 2009-02-02 12:21|| 2009-02-02 12:21|| Front Page Top

#4 It aint over till the fat lady sings. The Euros arent going to roll for Obama after the first hints from staffers. He is going to have to USE his political capital. And hes going to have to decide what he wants to use his euro-specific political capital FOR = help on taking gitmo dwellers, troops in afghanistan, spine on Iran, cover for protectionist stuff from congress, whatever.

Dont misunderestimate this guy, not yet.

Posted by liberalhawk 2009-02-02 12:27|| 2009-02-02 12:27|| Front Page Top

#5 He is going to have to USE his political capital.

WHAT political capital?

There is nothing for Bambi to use to try to get the EU to do what he wants. If there was, Bush would have used it already. There are no leverage points, there is nothing we can do except plead. And the only result that will bring is more EU scorn for the US.
Oh we could do a financial tit-for-tat, but when it comes down to it, it will cost more both in money and political points to the EU politicians to bow to US pressure. Simply put, it ain't worth their time or political jobs to help out the US.
We have a better chance getting Chinese troops to help out than NATO.

Posted by DarthVader 2009-02-02 13:18|| 2009-02-02 13:18|| Front Page Top

#6 We could close a few more bases causing local economies to collapse.

Posted by bman 2009-02-02 17:07|| 2009-02-02 17:07|| Front Page Top

#7 LH, your fantasy that Obama will have any influence in Europe at all is just that - fantasy. Watch how Le Monde responds when he pushes them to do anything they didn't already want to do, if you don't believe me.

Posted by lotp 2009-02-02 19:12|| 2009-02-02 19:12|| Front Page Top

#8 The Obama's appeal to Europe is that He is the anti-Bush, all Kumbaya and Ain't Gonna Study War No More. Once he asks them to go and fight terrorists, the honeymoon is over.

Posted by SteveS 2009-02-02 20:57|| 2009-02-02 20:57|| Front Page Top

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