From The Political Commentator

President Obama Gives Good Speech: Afghanistan Ad Nauseum

No question about it. When he is scripted he will typically deliver well as he did at the memorial ceremony at Fort Hood. He spoke for an un-Obama like 15 minutes with little of the speech focused on himself as it so often is. He spoke of his admiration and respect for the soldiers in the military, saying "We need not look to the past for greatness, because it is before our very eyes.

Strong words. Words fraught with emotion that indicate his overwhelming support for the military he commands. But as always, actions speak louder than words, and his actions are indicative of a politician who is more concerned with protecting his base and edge in Congress than he is in dealing with the pressing issues of Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea. This has nothing to do with the many days it took to get down to the base after the attack, but more to due with his procrastination and indecisiveness in the face of ever increasing violence and death in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In the many months since the McCrystal troop surge request was leaked, President Obama has been moving in relative slow motion. Eight meetings in the four months since the request was made, and only this week did the ambassador in Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, provide his assessment which recommends no troops until the Karzai government proves that it is up to the task of cleaning things up. This is the opinion of a man the President apparently has much faith in, so why is it only being provided now? Is it possible that he is more forthcoming now that the healthcare vote is done in the House? I certainly hope that is not the reason but one is left scratching the head of the lack of any urgency to deal with this problem.

If you don't want to rush the decision, and not rushing is the correct thing to do, then accelerate the delivery of the information that you need to make the decision. The President has the entire world at his beck and call, and the process could have been condensed. It now appears after yesterdays summit that any decision is going to be pushed back weeks. This is due to the fact that the four options currently on the table due not adequately address the ultimate endgame of Afghani takeover and the United States ability to withdraw.

Now I am not an expert on the inner workings of this foreign policy decision, but it would seem to me that these questions, only now arising, would have been questions that could have been foreseen and addressed months ago. Why does this process seem so haphazard and seat of the pants. Is it at all possible, that despite the rhetoric, this was actually a back burner issue while healthcare is pending?

The fact that commentary on the lack of an Obama decision in Afghanistan continues to get ink is unfortunate, both for the readers and for the country. This situation will be rectified when the ling awaited strategy is announced. Until then....