The American Spectator : Selective Urgency

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Selective Urgency

By Robert P. Kirchhoefer on 10.22.09 @ 6:07AM

In this administration Heaven can't wait -- except in Afghanistan.

In the long run, we're all dead. -- J. M. Keynes

Unless you happen to be a soldier in Afghanistan. Over there, it can happen a little sooner.

Contrary to the immediacy that has followed every single mantra of the Obama administration, the focus on the Afghani battlefront seems to be marching to the beat of a very different and disengaged drummer.

On matters of domestic policy, the short-sightedness illustrated by Keynes' impetuous statement set a droning pace for the Democrats' agenda: we cannot wait for a stimulus; we cannot delay passing legislation on climate change; we must overhaul health care now: the time to debate is over. Never one to let crises go to waste, Mr. Obama and his administration have squeezed out every last drop of every crisis in order to make gallons and gallons of crisisade.

And it's beginning to taste really bad.

The stimulus was pushed through as the answer to our economic ills. We had to act with swift severity to avoid the pangs of an 8.5 percent unemployment rate. We had to get money in the system now or the banks would collapse, manufacturing would misfire, and the housing market would further implode. We just needed another tank of financial fuel. That would give us the confidence to drive our parked economy down a treacherous turnpike. We just needed more money and all the hazards would disappear.

Well, here's the thing about the economy, people won't buy, they won't borrow, and they won't make long-term investments unless they have faith in the path that lies before them. And as the unemployment figures rise beyond the threatened 8.5 to the current 9.8 percent -- even after the $787 billion stimulus -- people fail to see what they were supposed to be so confident about. Moreover, most of the stimulus has still not been injected into the market. Yet, now seven months after the stimulus was passed, and with 49 out of 50 states losing, not gaining jobs, the administration we hear that the stimulus has worked. Just what did we stimulate? Contrasting the heated rhetoric that surrounded getting the stimulus with the laissez-faire manner of its application, it's very hard to tell. Perhaps the stimulus was more about an administration than a nation. Too cynical? Well, perhaps, but where are the fruits of the stimulated labors? Where is the state bird of industry -- the crane? Where are the bulldozers? Where is the rubble? Where are the orange barrels? Where is the stimulus in action?

What we're seeing is the embodiment of something our grandparents taught us; haste makes waste -- unless you can convince people against their better judgment that in the long run, they'll either suffer more, or fail to reap the benefits so "apparent" in immediate gratification. As someone once told me, the difference between a child and an adult is the willingness to forgo something good now for something better later. In other words, the long run does matter -- alive or dead.

Nevertheless, we're pushed down the slippery slope of an agenda based on haste.

On climate change, we were told that the time for languishing legislation is over. We need cap and trade to anoint the earth, mend the melting, and flush out the fossil fuels. The earth might not last 50 years -- maybe not even past the 2016 Summer Olympic Games! Dire stuff! And the green jobs, ah the green jobs. Like the square wheel, the linen helmet, and the dog sweater, they await our impatient ingenuity. One can only imagine the efficiencies and economies of scale that come from adding artificial organic flavor to the unnatural industry of green jobs. Nevertheless, the believers push an environmental euphoria on our market-based democracy, banging the drum of dispatch. We (with allowances for India, China, Eastern Europe, and, gosh, pretty much the entire Third World) have no time to lose. Now is, indeed, the time.

And then there is the third rail of this disorient express is -- health care. First there were 47, then 46, now maybe 30 million uninsured. These nameless and faceless individuals were given a story and a quick narrative. They are suffering unspeakable things and they need to be rescued. They will reap immediate benefits of Government's hand on the scales of health care. It's a matter of, if not life and death, health and sickness. Moreover, while saving the health of the 30-47 million, Congress and Mr. Obama will fix the economy. That's why it needs to be done now. That's why immediate action is required. Because it will improve the health care system and the economy. It's an infinite good. Like a band-aid that cures disease with no side effects. CBO numbers showing the massive expenses associated with such a plan are a nuisance to the pace and must be disregarded for the sake of expediency. Forget "slow" -- swift and steady wins the race.

The president is undaunted by town hall meetings and democratic dissent as he scolds his detractors through his myriad speeches and ministers -- dissent is a distraction to reform. He will not be distracted -- not on health care. After all, this affects the immediate safety and well-being of Americans. There is no "in the long run" on health care reform. In the short run, we're burdened by medical bills that someone else should pay. There is no time to discover why some people seem to fall through the cracks of the insurance industry through a bipartisan, healthy debate. The insurance industry is on Obama time, now. We all have a destiny with a legacy -- the Obama legacy. And there is only one way to reform health care -- with all deliberate speed.

Long, pregnant pause.

But on Afghanistan, silence. On Afghanistan, inertia. On Afghanistan, deliberation. On Afghanistan, wait and see. No lofty speeches, no altruistic arguments, no righteous reverberations. Afghanistan is the squeaky wheel that is grinding to a rusty and uncomfortable halt.

General Stanley A. McChrystal, the man hand-picked by Mr. Obama to lead the fight in Afghanistan, has called for reinforcements, dating back to August 30 of this year. According to the General, the need is urgent and a failure to enact swift and decisive action risks putting our troops on a march toward an irretrievable "failure." General McChrystal even used terms central to the Obama stimulus/health care/cap and trade talking points: inadequate, crisis, and serious. These are terms that Mr. Obama should be very familiar with. Depending on how Mr. Obama responds, very soon, these terms could describe the state of his presidency.

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About the Author

Robert P. Kirchhoefer is a Washington, D.C. attorney who previously worked in banking and finance.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (25) | Leave a comment

S.L. Toddard| 10.22.09 @ 7:46AM

Donald Rumsfeld directed the Defense Science Board Task Force to assess the effects of the Bush administration's policies in the War On Terror, Iraq and Aghanistan (link below):

"The Task Force began by noting what are the "underlying sources of threats to America's national security": namely, the "negative attitudes" towards the U.S. in the Muslim world and "the conditions that create them":

“Negative attitudes and the conditions that create them are the underlying sources of threats to America's national security and reduced ability to leverage diplomatic opportunities.”

And what most exacerbates anti-American sentiment, and therefore the threat of Terrorism? "American direct intervention in the Muslim world" -- through our "one sided support in favor of Israel"; support for Islamic tyrannies in places like Egypt and Saudi Arabia; and, most of all, "the American occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan":

"American direct intervention in the Muslim World has ... elevated the stature
of and support for radical Islamists, while diminishing support for the United States to single-digits in some Arab societies.

• "Muslims do not 'hate our freedom,' but rather, they hate our policies. The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the ... support for ... tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, and the Gulf states.

• "Thus when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy. Moreover, saying that 'freedom is the future of the Middle East' is seen as patronizing, suggesting that Arabs are like the enslaved peoples of the old Communist World — but Muslims do not feel this way: they feel oppressed, but not enslaved.

• "Furthermore, in the eyes of Muslims, American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq has not led to democracy there, but only more chaos and suffering. U.S. actions appear in contrast to be motivated by ulterior motives, and deliberately controlled in order to best serve American national interests at the expense of truly Muslim self-determination."

http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/rep.....cation.pdf

http://www.salon.com/news/opin.....index.html

Indiana Alex| 10.22.09 @ 8:09AM

But we were told by The One that this was the Just War.

Son Of Sam| 10.22.09 @ 8:53AM

The stimulus was NEVER about "helping the economy", anymore than the so-called war on poverty was about helping poor people. They were --and are-- about attacking the middle class, robbing us of our hard earned money, and then handing it out to fatcat bankers, illegal aliens and other moochers and freeloaders.

My response to the ObamaNazis and their erstwhile allies such as Toddard can be paraphrased from the Ben Folds Five song: give me my money back, you bitch!

stand strong until freedom dawns
Son Of Sam
http://www.samadamssos.bravehost.com/

Louis Jenkins| 10.22.09 @ 9:19AM

The Messiah in Chief is apparently like most of his cohorts. He doesn’t want to break any eggs, offend, or get his hands dirty. Wake up oh great Messiah! If you’re an American (although I doubt so) you’re offensive no matter how much you grovel, stoop, or bow. Will subservience gain respect from those who seek to do this nation harm? Licking the boots of tyrants, tin horn dictators, or terrorist supporters on the world stage will gain nothing more than further distain. It’s time to Cowboy Up Messiah. When the rules of engagement do not allow a soldier to fight and complete the mission it is plainly a poor use of their abilities and training. Peace keeping, nation building, allowing for another election, or planting Democracy is playing pattie-cake. If Al Quada or the Taliban are bonfide opposition then confront them as such! They really couldn’t care less about your Stimulus, Executive Wage Controls, Cap and Trade, or National Health Care. Otherwise, stop wasting our soldier’s life blood in an un-tenable situation.

Mike| 10.22.09 @ 10:11AM

S. L.

I do believe that the presence of our military in Muslim countries does have some detrimental effect so there is some veracity to your comment.

The question I have for you is: What was causing the terrorist problem in the time before troops were present? This has been going on my entire lifetimeand beyond.

Mike Johnston
SFC USA (RET)

S.L. Toddard| 10.22.09 @ 10:22AM

The Task force found that the main causes of Muslim antagonism toward America are "American direct intervention in the Muslim world", our "one sided support in favor of Israel", our "support for Islamic tyrannies in places like Egypt and Saudi Arabia," and "the American occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan."

Only one of those causes is a recent development. The rest have been happening for decades.

Mike| 10.22.09 @ 9:11PM

So the Muslim terrorism of the late 18th and early 19th centuries along the Barbary Coast that led to the "shores of Tripoli" was caused by America how exactly?

Red Phillips| 12.30.09 @ 9:35AM

Mike, piracy, which has been going on as long as there have been ships and seas, is not the same thing as modern terrorism. Was Black Beard a terrorist or a crook?

Crusad| 10.22.09 @ 2:53PM

"What was causing the terrorist problem in the time before troops were present?"

Uhh, islam???

Islam~~~
1 - is most definitely NOT a religion
2 - is most definitely NOT tolerant of any true religion
3 - is most definitely NOT compatible with Western/American-style republican government
4 - is most definitely NOT compatible with FREEDOM

So Mike, my answer is: islam. What do I win?

Mike| 10.22.09 @ 9:08PM

Crusad

I agree that the problem is Islam. I have to take issue with you first point. Islam is, by definition, a religion. Not one I agree with or pretend to understand but a religion none the less.

Your point that Islam is the problem is what I was trying to point out to S.L. If Bill has problems with everyone else in the workplace then chances are the problem is Bill, not everyone else.

Mike Johnston
SFC USA (RET)

Lullaby's, Legends and Lies| 10.22.09 @ 11:11AM

“The rest have been happening for decades.” Decades my ass S.L.!! Try 233 years, at least!! America’s problem with the Islamic States of the World dates all the way back to the end of the American Revolution. Once we were an independent nation, without the backing of the most powerful country in the World (England), it was game on for Islam (they declared War on us don’t you know?). The States of Algiers, Morocco, and Tripoli would seize our ships, take our cargo, hold our sailor’s for ransom (or sell them into slavery, if we didn’t pay), and then expected us to pay tribute to them each and every year also.
So these attacks on our young Nation were one of the reasons for establishing the Constitution of the United States. We desperately needed a Navy to defend our interests abroad (in the Mediterranean). And under the Articles of Confederation, the various States couldn’t agree to establish one (damn Rhode Island). So in a weird way, Islam was a major reason for establishing our Constitution, so thank you very much for that Islam (but only for that). Oh yeah, by the way, then with our newly established Navy in hand, we proceeded to learn how to use it very well. And over time, we kicked their Islamic asses all over the Mediterranean, and they cut the crap finally (hostages, ransom). And in the end the Barbary Wars added a very cool line to the Marine Corp’s Hymn, “To the shores of Tripoli”. But of course, you know all this Toddard, because you know everything. Let’s Go Yankees!!

S.L. Toddard| 10.22.09 @ 11:35AM

LLL, I'm not going to go deeply into the profound differences between piracy in the 19th century and Islamic terrorism now other than to say that the two just aren't analogous. Really, they're not. Yes our history of interaction with the Middle East goes back centuries. But our history of intense intervention in their political affairs, our one-sided support for Israel her conflicts and our propping-up of tyrannous regimes in the Middle East - which are seemingly the main causes of anti-American terrorism - are not centuries-old practices but decades old ones.

Lullaby's, Legends and Lies| 10.22.09 @ 12:40PM

S.L.: Well personally I think the current problem with Islam isn’t anything new at all, it’s just American’s involvement with Islam that is. The Anti-American terrorism perpetrated by Islam (yes all of Islam), is only a new chapter in this religion’s disgusting 1,400 year history. But it’s the same old problems from way back then too, only with different weapons and victims today. They didn’t blow up buses back then with suicide vests on (hadn’t been invented yet-that’s why), back then, they’d just ride their horses into the neighboring village, and with a sword to you throat, asked you to convert or die. That sounds like terrorism to me (maybe not to you), so nothing’s changed with Islam really, just the times. Maybe a few of the characters on Islamic stage have changed, IE: enter America, & Israel, but everybody else was there at the beginning (terrorism, kidnapping, ransom, invasions (and many more)-all in the name of Allah, Peace be upon him. Excuse me, I’ve got to go throw up after writing that last sentence.

So the spread of the one true Religion has always been the problem, since it first escaped for the Saudi Arabian peninsula back in the 7th Century. So you call it piracy back then (the Barbary Wars), and terrorism today (9/11), and don’t see a connection between the two. I just call it the same old same old, Islamic problem, terrorism then, terrorism today. And you think America has caused all of this? Well I disagree, we may have fanned the flames, by sticking our noses into Middle East problems (more so within the last 100 years), but the flames were burning already.

So let’s do the math together, Islam is 1,400 years old, and America is 233 years old? That’s like one million years difference (I was never good at math) right? And America is the problem, because of our intervension in the Middle East in the last 100 years? But in this particular case, we can’t use the other 1,100 years of history against Islam, we can only use its interaction with the USA within the last 100 years? Is that right? And here you were last night, blaming the drift away from the Constitution on Lincoln during the Civil War. You’re confusing me here S.L., all evidence is admissible, when you're comparing Apples and Oranges, isn't it?

Let’s Go Yankees!!

Red Phillips| 12.30.09 @ 9:43AM

So LLL, what is your solution then? Just kill all the Muslims? Short of that maybe invade a few more Muslim countries and force them to renounce Islam? What's your plan big talker? The sensible plan is to disengage from the Middle East and restrict immigration. Not bomb more countries. Now people are talking about invading Yemen. Good grief! Will this foolishness never end?

Ned| 10.22.09 @ 11:22AM

It’s time for General Patton to show up at the bridge and shoot the two mules, Health Care and Cap and Trade, and have them thrown off the side. Then addressing President Obama, their owner, he can say “don’t you know good men are dying out there. It’s time to quit the ahhs and uhhs and get this show on the road.

Louis Jenkins| 10.22.09 @ 12:31PM

And as Patton said, it's better that a poor battle plan be quickly carried out, than a great battle plan be carried out slowly. Sounds like the Messiah and Chief has already heard Patton's saying, at least on the domestic front.

L. Ross| 10.22.09 @ 4:26PM

Toddard:

Has it ever occured to you that the task force is wrong? A lot of sharp people thought that Neville Chamberlain did a lot of good negotiating "Peace for our time" with Hitler. They were wrong. I believe in my heart the task force took their biases in with them and came out with a standard lot of liberal boilerplate, rather than learning about the true evils is islam. Because we cannot, in the 21st century, truely believe that any religion is evil. Must be our fault.

Red Phillips| 12.30.09 @ 9:48AM

You can ALWAYS count on it. When interventionists are arguing with non-interventionists, they will quickly resort to the Neville Chamberlain card as their all purpose justification for any intervention anywhere. You really need to come up with some new arguments because the Neville Chamberlain card is getting really old.

Dasboot| 10.22.09 @ 5:39PM

We support Israel because we support civilization as opposed to barbarism. Why liberals always side with murderers under the guise of seeking 'peace' is so old and predictable now that its barely worth mentioning.

Bannockburn| 10.22.09 @ 7:35PM

Mr. Kirchheppener is dead on. This is a classic butter v. guns delimna. The military will be sacrificed by this administration in order to provide the mother of all entitlement programs - universal healthcare. The end results - a stronger and emboldened China and Russia and a national debt that can never be paid off without crushing taxes on the middle class.

Dems, prepare thyselves, Nov 2010 is your day of reckoning.

MD Miller| 10.22.09 @ 8:48PM

Another very a propos article by Mr Kichhoefer.

JimE| 10.23.09 @ 1:23AM

Toddard the islamic appeaser, change you name to buffoonish anus.

d. Kirk| 10.26.09 @ 1:45AM

very thought provoking article, why are they bang banging on all these domestic issues, but sitting around and looking at each other about Afghanistan?

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