Sarah Palin: Finally, A Decision for Afghanistan: We're In It to Win It

Following is the complete transcript of Governor Palin's Facebook Note on Obama's decision on Afghanistan:

Three months ago, I joined a number of Americans in urging President
Obama to provide the resources necessary to achieve our goals in
Afghanistan. Tonight, I am glad he mostly heeded that advice (Palin, 2009, ¶1).



At long last, President Obama decided to give his military commanders
much of what they need to accomplish their mission in Afghanistan. In
the end, he decided to endorse a “surge” for Afghanistan, applying the
counterinsurgency principles of “clear, hold and build” that worked so
well in Iraq. Given that he opposed the surge in Iraq, it is even more
welcome that he now supports a surge in Afghanistan (Palin, 2009, ¶2).



This approach means, as Senator John McCain has noted, that “We now
have an opportunity to build a bipartisan consensus in support of a
vital national security priority: defeating Al-Qaeda and its violent
extremist allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and ensuring that these
countries never again serve as bases for terrorist attacks against
America and our allies” (Palin, 2009, ¶3)



We should be clear, however, that fewer troops mean assuming more risk.
Talk of an exit date also risks sending the wrong message. We should be
in Afghanistan to win, not to set a timetable for withdrawal that
signals a lack of resolve to our friends, and lets our enemies believe
they can wait us out. As long as we’re in to win, and as long as troop
level decisions are based on conditions on the ground and the advice of
our military commanders, I support President Obama’s decision (Palin, 2009, ¶4).



- Sarah Palin

References:

Palin, S. L. H. (2009, December 1). "Finally, A Decision for Afghanistan: We're In It to Win It." Facebook, Sarah Palin. Retrieved December 1, 2009 from: http://www.facebook.com/sarahpalin?v=wall#/notes/sarah-palin/finally-a-decision-for-afghanistan-were-in-it-to-win-it/187151958434

Sarah's Right; Let's Win It: A Post by Conservative Girl with a Voice

As we revved our engines up for the busy workweek today, I hope you returned back to work refreshed and relaxed from the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving is a great time to just sit back, reflect and give thanks for everything we hold dear as Americans. I am so thankful for the freedom I have as an American. I am so proud of our brave military men and women who risk their lives for each and every one of us day in and day out. As an American, I want my military men and women to be given the best. While I believe we should listen to General McChrystal and those in charge on ground, it seems our president is not ready to do so. President Obama is going to address this very issue of troop numbers tomorrow in an address to Americans.

General McChrystal has repeatedly said an additional 40,000 troops would be needed in order to succeed in Afghanistan, so why has it been so hard for our president to make what should be an easy, necessary decision? Send the troops, Mr. President. Yet, in an all-too-common occurrence with this administration, our president is once again back peddling. And now when he is finally ready to make a decision, he is going to compromise on the number of brave men and women to send to Afghanistan? Give me a break. This is not only outrageous, but deeply disturbing. We are not talking about compromising on the number of side dishes to prepare for Christmas dinner; instead, we are talking about the lives of our Military men and women. Obama is expected to announce, tomorrow, that 30,000 additional troops will go to Afghanistan. This is an important number because this number is 10,000 less than General Stanley McChrystal originally requested weeks ago (McChrystal requested 40,000). I am outraged that President Obama is choosing to compromise when we are talking about the lives of so many. While this is very upsetting, it is also unfortunate that Obama is not sending the entire 30,000 troops right away. Instead, he is expected to send 9,000 Marines to southern Afghanistan first with others to eventually follow. I fully agree with why senators like Jon Kyl of Arizona are so worried about this. According to Fox News:

"The speed of deployment worries Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., who said Sunday that a phased deployment will not force rapid change as the surge in Iraq did and will create more problems, as Vietnam demonstrated: "You need to put in everybody you can as quickly as you can and deliver a knockout punch to the enemy," Kyl told "Fox News Sunday."

Kyl is right in his assessment. The surge was successful, so why wouldn't we repeat this action again? Obama is playing with fire if he really thinks compromising will bring us victory in Afghanistan. I have to wonder if Obama knows the full implications of the decision he is about to make. I have to wonder if Obama really wants to win the war in Afghanistan. I never thought I would have these of fears, but I seem to have cause to be alarmed.

I know I am not alone in my reasoning, for I know many of you agree with me. Sarah Palin is also speaking out on President Obama's scheduled announcement regarding Afghanistan troop levels. As a former governor, Sarah knows what it's like to oversee our troops. While she was governor, she was the commander-in-chief of Alaska's National Guard. Sarah also knows firsthand what the families of our awesome men and women in uniform go through every time they have to say goodbye to a family member. As you all know, Sarah's oldest child, Track, serves in the Army. President Obama may be ready to compromise the lives of our brave men and women in an attempt to appease to his liberal base, which by the way, I guarantee would be upset if even one troop member was sent off to war, but Sarah knows better. She knows the generals on the ground know what's best. Why can't Obama listen to his generals and Sarah for once? Until our president and his administration begin to listen to those who know best, he is walking a very fine line. For goodness sake, this is an important decision that will either result in success or failure. Our troops deserve better. I stand with Sarah as she stands solidly beside our good men and women in uniform. Thank you, Sarah, for speaking out on this very important issue and always supporting our troops and putting them first, and thank you to our brave men and women in uniform for their tireless service to our country.

The following is Sarah's latest note that she posted on her Facebook Page last night regarding this:


Sarah Palin: If We're In It, Lets Win It

As Thanksgiving festivities wind down we contemplate all we have to be thankful for as free Americans! We head into the Christmas season wishing for leadership in Washington that reflects our commitment to the values and ideals that have built the freest and most prosperous and generous nation on earth.

Heading into December and Tuesday's announcement of our nation's strategy in Afghanistan, I ask the President to reassure us that the administration is in this War on Terror to win.

And I'll pass along the following from Harold B. Estes, a 95-year-old member of the Greatest Generation: "I realize you never served in the military and never had to defend your country with your life, but you're the Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get out."

Thank you, Mr. President. Please tell us on Tuesday that America is in it to win.

- Sarah Palin

PS: You can read Mr. Estes' complete letter here.

(Click here to visit Conservative Girl with a Voice. Click here to follow me on Twitter.)

Sarah Palin To Barack Obama: We Must Win In Afghanistan!

Late this afternoon Sarah Palin issued this statement urging Barack Obama to get his act together on the war in Afghanistan:

We Must Win in Afghanistan

Today at 4:57pm

For two years as a candidate, Senator Obama called for more resources for the war in Afghanistan and warned about the consequences of failure. As President, he announced a comprehensive new counterinsurgency strategy and handpicked the right general to execute it. Now General McChrystal is asking for additional troops to implement the strategy announced by President Obama in March. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers in harm's way in Afghanistan right now. We owe it to all those brave Americans serving in uniform to give them the tools they need to complete their mission.

We can win in Afghanistan by helping the Afghans build a stable representative state able to defend itself. And we must do what it takes to prevail. The stakes are very high. The 9/11 attacks were planned in Afghanistan, and if we are not successful there, al Qaeda will once again find a safe haven, the Taliban will impose its cruelty on the Afghan people, and Pakistan will be less stable.

Our allies and our adversaries are watching to see if we have the staying power to protect our interests in Afghanistan. I recently joined a group of Americans in urging President Obama to devote the resources necessary in Afghanistan and pledged to support him if he made the right decision. Now is not the time for cold feet, second thoughts, or indecision -- it is the time to act as commander-in-chief and approve the troops so clearly needed in Afghanistan.

- Sarah Palin

Short, sweet, and to the point. These are the times that test the metal of a man. (or woman) We have brave man and women in harms way. We are losing these brave souls because their Commander-in-Chief is a weak leader with absolutely zero executive experience. Well, Mr President, this is not the U.S. Senate, and you cannot vote "present" here!

We cannot lose this war. The entire world already sees Obama is an incredibly weak leader. Friends and foes alike are openly laughing at Obama. Even the French! Every signal Obama sends to the world says weakness.

This is an administration that can’t bring itself to call these devils "terrorists," for God’s sake! This is an administration that has dropped the "war on terror" terminology. We can no longer call attacks "acts of terrorism" they are "man made disasters." This is an administration that is now reading captured terrorists Miranda rights like they were arrested at Wal-Mart shoplifting!

As we wrote earlier, Obama is even embarrassed to use the word "victory!"

We have even learned that Obama had only spoken to his Commanding General once in 70 days!







We have men dying in battle, and yet, Obama has only talked to his HAND PICKED Commanding General in the field once before last week! And that was during Obama’s mission for his Chicago buddies to Copenhagen.



That’s right, we have multiple domestic problems, sky high unemployment, a failed $1 trillion "stimulus package", the world wants to drop the dollar as the standard currency, and we are fighting two wars, and yet, Obama has time to spend, and well over a million taxpayer dollars, to not only ship the First Lady and the Oprah over to Copenhagen, but take a second plane over for himself, with Chuck Schumer, and a host of Chicago hopefuls to further embarrass America on the world stage. Obama’s "look at me" dog and pony show was just pathetic, and maybe the only transparent thing he has done since taking office!

I mean even a blind man could see this was nothing more than Obama trying to bring in a bunch of money to line the pockets of his corrupt Chicago friends. This thing would have seen corruption on a biblical scale!

But, Obama, our great "Commander-in-Chief" was gracious enough to find a whole twenty-five minutes to speak with General McChrystal on the trip back. How nice.

Obama is working night and day, using every resource available to the White House in order to pass his unconstitutional ObamaCare fiasco, something that America has loudly rejected as a whole. But is dragging his feet on something that is actually important to the nation, and the rest of the world.

Now we all know why Obama wants ObamaCare. It totally usurps the Constitution, totally destroys states’ rights, and goes a long way toward setting up an all powerful centralized government. A communist state. This has been the left’s dream since before FDR!

Americans do not want this, they want Obama and Congress to stop the nonsense, throw the entire thing in the trash, and start over, using common sense.

America also wants to win these wars!

Let’s forget, for a moment, what a loss would do to the United States, as far as legitimacy as a leader in the world. The world’s only true super power. Let’s also not forget that a loss would be the biggest recruiting tool for al Qaeda and the Taliban one could imagine.

Remember, the folks who make these groups up were also responsible for defeating the mighty Soviet Union. If we lose this war, the fragile Afghan government will fall, and you’ll have chaos and a breeding ground for terrorists on a scale the world has never known.

Oh, and don’t forget, Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons, could easily fall as well. Wouldn’t that be terrific!

Forget all of that for a moment.

If we lose this war, America’s legacy won’t just be a terrorist controlled super state, with nuclear weapons. OK, that will be part of America’s legacy, but the real legacy for Barack Obama, and America will be the human rights disaster. Before America liberated the Afghan people, the Taliban ruled with an iron fist.

Now I know "progressives" lose their mind if you even mention God in public, in America, and equate it to some mediaeval torture! This percieved horror by the left is nothing compared to what the Taliban, and al Qaeda do. These people really are the religious fanatics, the made up caricatures, the left has conjured up of Christians.

The Taliban and al Qaeda accept no deviation, by anyone, from their perverted version of Islam. You don’t comply, you die! Now one would think, our leftist friends would be all over these monsters who don’t practice "separation of church and state," nor even grasp the concept, but alas, they are not.

Under Taliban and al Qaeda rule, women are basically property. They serve little or no purpose, to them, and have absolutely no rights. The US, if it did nothing else, liberated 10's of millions of Afghan women. That’s no small deed. These women were little more than slaves. Girls were not even allowed to have an education!

"Progressives" tell you they are for women’s rights, now is their chance to step up and prove it!

For all of the reasons we cannot lose this war, the human tragedy that would occur is at the top of the list.

We need a leader, not a glorified pitch man!



Mr President, it’s time to stop the madness. Stop the lunacy of ObamaCare, stop "jet setting" around the world. Stop all of the nonsense. It is time for you to actually go to work. Have someone show you where your office is, then roll up your sleeves and get going!

You hand picked General McChrystal to run this war, and you approved his mission. It was a good choice.

Now the General is giving you a list of tools he needs to carry this plan out. Stop voting "present." It’s time to be the Commander-in-Chief, one of the duties that is actually spelled out in that Constitution you have such little regard for.

Maybe the Great Ronald Reagan, and his stance on the Soviet Union, can be of some guidance to you. President Reagan’s philosophy on the Soviets can be boiled down to this: "We win, they lose!"

Mr President, you owe this to the American people, you owe this to the Afghan people, and you owe this to the rest of the free world. Time to put away the trappings of office, and the foolish playthings it allows you.

It’s time for you to lead!

In your leadership, the American people will be right beside you.