October 6, 2009
What does Obama owe these kids?
I read stuff like this from Karen Russo at ABC News and then I listen to the mealy mouthed Obama administration on how hard it is to decide what to do about Afghanistan, and I wonder:
What does the president owe men like this?
Flying into the besieged Afghan base during a nighttime firefight this weekend was a harrowing mix of overwhelming noise, stomach dropping maneuvers and shadows hurrying through the gloom.I think most Americans would agree that Obama owes these guys the courage to make the tough political call - to match their courage on the battlefield. Giving McChrystal what he wants will not be popular in his own party - maybe not even with a majority of Americans. But he's got to back his commanding general's play or replace him.
When the chopper lifted off moments later with three wounded soldiers, it left behind others who were wounded but refused to be MEDEVACED out of the combat zone so they could return to fight with their buddies.
Fighting raged at two remote U.S. outpostsnear the Pakistan border this weekend, that left eight U.S. soldiers dead and 24 wounded. The battle was fought from Friday night through Sunday as hundreds of Taliban insurgents and their allies tried to overrun the Americans.
During the fighting, the insurgents succeeded in breaching the outer defense of the base at times before being repelled with the help of attack helicopters, fighter jets and drones. It was the bloodiest battle in a year for U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
He owes those kids who stayed behind to fight even though they were wounded and refused to be removed from the battle.