Frontline's Season Opener: "Obama's War"

[erpowers]

Today Frontline released the first 20 minutes of their season opener, which is entitled "Obama's War". The show is supposed to take a look at the current state of events in Afghanistan. Frontline warns that the footage in the preview and the full film will be graphic. In the first few minutes you will hear a large number of "F" bombs.

In another note on Frontline, it seems the show will have a great season. This season Frontline will take on the credit card industry and will try to determine who is responsible for the financial meltdown. The link to the show's website is below.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/obamaswar/

[elocs]

1. Yes, it is his war and if he buys into the continual call for escalation and more troops

it will be his legacy when it fails.

[Don Caballero]

2. PBS is losing my support

I love Frontline and many programs on PBS but this is going over the line. This is Bush's War on Terror, not President Obama's. The current administration inherited this boondoggle and is trying everything it can to end these wars gracefully and in a humanitarian fashion.

[joeybee12]

3. Technically, it's "Bush's War that he started and didn't finish"

It's a poor choice for a title by PBS...they are nailing it on him by that.

[JuniperLea]

26. Or hooking RW NutJobs to watch in the hope...

That it's nailing Obama... I will wait to see, but I'm betting this is the deal.

[FiveGoodMen]

4. "is trying everything it can to end these wars gracefully"

...by escalating one of them?

Obama's not trying to end them at all.

And that gracefully qualifier reminds me of Nixon's Peace With Honor(TM).

[Don Caballero]

6. The escalation is in response

to the resurgence of Taliban and Al Qaeda operating within the borders of AfPak. If the President just decided to extract all forces from the region, the Repugs could seize upon the civil war and mass murders of civilians that would inevitably break out and claim they are the party of peace. We as Democrats still own the label of peacemakers proudly and wish not to lose it to a group of warmongers and Neocons.

[armyowalgreens]

9. The American people want out of Iraq and Afghanistan...

So that argument is BS.

[Xicano]

38. Exactly!

And this pic comes to mind.

[FiveGoodMen]

20. YOUR war (you're claiming it now) will never be over.

There will always be bad guys.

We are not solving that problem.

[Flaneur]

36. Wait...you're gonna be a peacemaker by waging more war?

I think you're confused.

[armyowalgreens]

7. It is now both their wars.

Although, as of right now, Bush still has more blood on his hands.

[JuniperLea]

28. You might try watching the show first before passing judgement...

could be a trick to get RW nuts to watch... just saying.

[erpowers]

30. Obama Supported Afghanistan

Obama on many occasions has stated he supported going into Afghanistan. It seems Obama's main difference with Bush over Afghanistan was that he felt Bush should have focused on Afghanistan instead of shifting troops to Iraq. It has been noted by some that Obama even refered to the war in Afghanistan as "the good war". In addition, a number of people have had there names attached to wars that they did not start. America was in Vietnam long before Robert McNamara became Secretary of Defense and Lyndon Johnson became president; however, they are the people who are often attached to the war.

[tekisui]

34. No--it is now Obama's. He escalated and is in charge.

[derby378]

5. I'm torn over Afghanistan, though

Everyone here knows full well that as soon as we pull out, the Taliban will show no mercy to Afghanistan, especially its women and children. I don't want to be the one to tell girls trying to get an education in Afghanistan that we're leaving them at the mercy of these armed thugs who hide behind the Koran.

[Don Caballero]

8. These are all good points

If we leave AfPak the Taliban will mercilessly kill those not in compliance with Sharia Law. I too worry for the safety of the women and children under the control of blood thirsty Islamists.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

21. Agreed, but what long term good can we do there without setting up shop and policing the country?

If we were to do that, our very presence there would work as yet another recruitment tool for the radical Islamic movement.

Also, if we're to do this for Afghanistan then what about the women in Darfur? They far out number those in Afghanistan and they've yet to see any reduction in the atrocities being committed against them. Quite the opposite actually, since the US declared its war on terror the violence there has done nothing but increase.

[Don Caballero]

23. We must train a competent military in AfPak

One that is able and willing to deter infiltration by extremists and is held in high regard for civility by the population. One with the ability to arrest or kill terrorists who threaten the existing government and infrastructure.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

27. Just like in Iraq?

I see, since that notion worked out so well there we should apply the same strategy in Afghanistan?

As Einstein said, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

[Hawkowl]

31. Like we trained Al Queda and Bin Laden

And armed them and financed them to fight the Soviets. Then knowing how to do nothing else aside from farming opium, turned their warlike ways on their former sponsors: USA.

We need to get the hell out of the middle east. Period. It is costing lives and we are borrowing all the money from the Chinese to do it. We can't afford it and it has little benefit. Far less benefit than universal health care, universal higher education and eliminating homelessness. All of which we could have bought with our WAR expenditures. I didn't even getting a fucking T-shirt.

[Mari333]

10. Its Obamas war now unless he chooses to end it

Than, he might have a chance at another term.

[Don Caballero]

11. The President campaigned on winning the AfPak War

and I supported him on this point. The Iraq War is almost over and some of those resources will be moved to help defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda in AfPak. Our cooperation with the Afghans in liberating the country and ridding it of the fundamentalists is imperative if we wish not to sustain another attack like 9/11. Let us not forget that the planning of the greatest terrorist attack on our nation was hatched from this area and the major actors are still operating.

[joeybee12]

14. I have many issues wtih Obama, but this is one area I agree with

him...the Taliban came from this area and it was the obvious place to start the "war on terror" but Bush and his cronies started a totally unnecessary and immoral war in Iraq.

[tekisui]

35. Win?

There is no such thing.

[Greyhound]

12. Oh goody, another "We told you so" moment. n/t

[MarjorieG]

13. It'smpolitics either way, but Dems need to see some necessity for protecting US against AQ threat in

AfPak. Had we stayed and not gone into Iraq, a different story we'd be facing.

[armyowalgreens]

15. Does Al Qaeda really pose a threat to the United States?

[Don Caballero]

16. Absolutely

Bin Laden is still saber rattling with his audio messages to the United States and Germany. He is still planning major operations against us and our allies. They must we wiped out.

[armyowalgreens]

17. How do you know that he is planning "major operations"?

Going further, how do you know that he is still alive?

[Don Caballero]

19. The Osama is dead conspiracy theory

would involve thousands if not tens of thousands of knowing participants to cover it up. His audio tapes are reviewed and verified as authentic by our intelligence community. We know he is planning operations because that is what he does.

[armyowalgreens]

22. "We know he is planning operations because that is what he does."

That is the worst explanation/justification for war I have ever heard


We know he is because that's what he does? Seriously?

Jesus fucking Christ, that is your logic used to justify sending this country to fucking war?

What the hell is the matter with you?

[Don Caballero]

24. Bin Laden is a free man

after killing 3000 of our fellow citizens. Bush chose not to go after him in a stealth manner. President Obama understands that the capture or death of the tyrant Bin Laden will deflate the Islamic militant movement worldwide. Bin Laden's Taliban and Al Qaeda associates wish not only to enslave their citizens with Sharia Law, but to launch attacks against the West.

[armyowalgreens]

29. Capturing Bin Laden will do NOTHING to slow them. And you are justifying massive loss of life...

Because we need to go after one guy responsible for taking 3000 American lives.

So if it costs us 10,000 American lives in order to find him, is it still worth it?

Is this a the ends justify the means kind of propaganda?

[Flaneur]

37. The tyrant Bin Laden??

Uh, I don't think Bin Laden rules over anything, thus he's not a tyrant. Bad man, yes; tyrant, no.

You might want to quit huffing out of that Islamophobia bag for a few minutes.

[conscious evolution]

40. Too much kool-aide

You must have missed the announcement by the O admin that they are hiring 1000 more shills-I mean internet security experts.

[FiveGoodMen]

33. "They must we wiped out"

They can't be wiped out. America's interventions are continually creating new enemies.

There's no such thing as wiping them all out.

None whatsoever.

But we can destroy ourselves trying.

And that's what you advocate: Destroying the US economy, reputation, and military in order to avoid admitting that we can't control the whole world.

Thanks a fucking lot!

[EmeraldCityGrl]

18. Would an end to the wars be the final stake in the heart

of the US economy? Who's going to employ all the returning military? How much of the economy is supported by
the war industry? And finally how much is this being taken into consideration by Obama?

Not saying it's right just the reality of how intrinsic the war is to our survival.

[JuniperLea]

25. I think the title is a hook...

To get RW NutJobs to watch... just my knee-jerk, first blush reaction to this title from this particular program.

I like Frontline... I'll be watching.

[BadGimp]

32. Obama's War? WTF

The title is a death cross the right wingers will hang around Obama's neck and the Dems. You watch.

"FUBAR, Get Out While We Can" is a better title imo

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

39. Soon to be: "Obama's Lost War".

The American people have finally seen this bit swagger for what it is and have turned against it. If Obama prolongs it he'll be in no doubt why LBJ quit.