I knew what I was getting when I voted for Obama. Some things I liked, some not. [View All]

[cherokeeprogressive]

On the subject of Afghanistan and Pakistan, I knew he planned to escalate in Afghanistan and possibly send troops into Pakistan. I didn't support that. I didn't support it for a minute. I still don't. The alternative was voting for McKamikaze/Failin'. That wasn't happenin'. Not then, not now, not ever. Hell, there are some here who poo-poo the notion of "Al Queda" altogether.

What I DID support though, and what made me VERY happy, was his campaign promise that he'd begin the pullout of Iraq IMMEDIATELY. DAY ONE is what I think I remember hearing. ONE BRIGADE PER MONTH is what I think I remember hearing. How many brigades have come home from Iraq in the three months President Obama has been in office? One? Two? Three? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? I'm not sure, but it seems that the posts I used to see here every day counting the number of American lives lost in Iraq have dwindled to nothing. How many deaths in Iraq since Inauguration Day? The way I saw it, Iraq was *'s war. After Inauguration Day, I thought it would be "President Obama's Withdrawal from an Illegal War". I actually believed that not one more troop would have to board a plane on his/her way to what we called an illegal war. How dumb was I?

Time was, we called supporters of the war in Iraq "chickenhawks" and demanded that they send their own sons and daughters into harm's way to PROVE their support. Today though, criticism of President Obama on that account is ridiculed. The argument is that Candidate Obama said what he needed to say in order to get elected. We're told we should have known what we were buying. We're told we should accept President Obama's change in attitude because he's "smarter" than us. We're told we don't know "politics".

I've NEVER known politics it seems. I never knew that campaign promises were to Candidate Obama what oaths were to President Clinton. In case you're wondering, I voted for him too, twice.

Mr. President, you have my full and honest support. I would respectfully request though that you begin drawing down the number of troops in Iraq at a pace that honors your promise to me and my country while you were trying to get elected. The way I see it, you're three months behind. Three brigades should have been reunited with their families at this point, with no fear of having to go back. According to your promise to me, you have less than 13 months to honor your promise to have them ALL home. I was under the impression that within 16 months of your inauguration, there would be no more American men and women carrying weapons in that country, as per your campaign promise. Fully supporting you does NOT mean that I am barred from thinking you've totally misrepresented your position in regards to the illegal occupation of Iraq, the reason being your wish to be elected President of the United States.

During the campaign, we made a big deal of how many members of the Armed Services supported Candidate Obama. It now seems to me that they might have been fooled (or were guilty of being politically naive, like me) by his promise to end the illegal occupation of a country that hadn't harmed us, the end coming within 16 months. How would YOU have voted in the face of that promise if you were in the Armed Forces?

Agree or disagree. You better bring your nuclear flamethrower though, cuz I have really, really thick skin, and I'm going to mix metaphors here; your ridicule flows off my back like water off a duck's.