Afghanistan, Then And Now

Candidate Obama in 2008 on Afghanistan: “Losing is not an option”:

[youtube yZRspJg1VYA]

During that period, as another video highlights, Obama blasted McCain and Bush “For Taking Their Eye Off The Ball In Afghanistan.”

All of which is why, as president, Obama has been in constant contact with his generals in the field:

Gen. Stanley McChrystal says he’s talked to President Obama only once since taking command of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan over the summer, a revelation that drew swift criticism from some who are concerned that the president is putting off McChrystal’s request for more troops.

“It’s startling,” Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., told FOX News.

McChrystal talked about his interaction with the president in an interview with CBS News.

“I’ve talked to the president since I’ve been here once on a (video teleconference),” he said.

“You talked to him once in 70 days?” CBS’ David Martin asked.

“That’s correct,” McChrystal said.

(Which isn’t all that surprising in one sense: As the RNC warned in 2008, “As Chairman Of The Foreign Relations Subcommittee On European Affairs, Obama Has Not Held A Single Hearing On The NATO Mission In Afghanistan.”)

As more and more members of the left such as the New York Times’ Frank Rich come out in favor of pulling the plug on a war they wholeheartedly supported up as “the Good War”, at least up until, oh, about the end of the day on November 4 of last year, former U.S. Army vet Baldilocks looks back at her numerous posts during that period that warned of what was to come, and writes, “Told Ya So.”

Update: Flopping Aces has plenty of additional earlier quotes from Obama on Afghanistan.