The President’s Afghanistan speech, delivered last night at West Point. First, I think it’s ridiculous to suggest that President Obama took too long to make a critical decision involving our troops and this country’s (as well as the world’s) security. Perhaps if there had been more deliberation on the decision to go to war in Iraq, things wouldn’t be such a mess there and here in terms of the emotional and financial strain on this country.
Second, I find it interesting that more conservatives seem to be in favor of the plan than liberals/progressives. I have friends and family that deal with the strains of long deployments and see the effects everyday, but I agree with the decision. As summed up by The Washington Post:
Mr. Obama’s troop decision is both correct and courageous: correct because it is the only way to prevent a defeat that would endanger this country and its vital interests; and courageous because he is embarking on a difficult and costly mission that is opposed by a large part of his own party. Importantly, the president did not set an end date or a timetable for the mission beyond July 2011; the pace of extracting U.S. forces will depend on developments on the ground.
. . .
Many in America and around the world have wondered about Mr. Obama’s personal dedication to winning that war. The president’s speech offered a qualified answer. He said he must “weigh all of the challenges that our nation faces,” and argued against a more expansive commitment to Afghanistan “because the nation I am most interested in building is our own.” But he also described powerfully the threat posed by “violent extremism,” and said, “it will be an enduring test of our free society and our leadership in the world.” With obvious reluctance but with clear-headedness, Mr. Obama has taken a major step toward meeting that test.
The Atlanta Mayor’s Race.
Kasim Reed, a 40-year old attorney, may be the next mayor of ATL, though his opponent, Mary Norwood, has not conceded defeat.
What was so interesting about this race? It feautured an intense showdown in a runoff election between a black man and white woman (Atlanta’s only had black mayors since the 70′s), prompting major discussions on everything from race to gay rights in one of the South’s most prominent cities.
Reed’s win is razor thin, but the race signals something important going on in Hotlanta: a slight decrease in the black population with an increase in the city’s white population. Was this as simple as shifting demographics, or a move toward colorblind politics?
