Democratic Primaries

highplainsdem

(49,021 posts) Fri Dec 20, 2019, 12:30 PM Dec 2019

Joe Biden said he consistently opposed Obama's Afghanistan surge. Obama alumni say he's right.

https://theweek.com/speedreads/885482/joe-biden-said-consistently-opposed-obamas-afghanistan-surge-obama-alumni-say-hes-right

The Washington Post is publishing a series of reports, based on government documents, detailing U.S. efforts to mislead the public with rosy assessments of a stagnant war in Afghanistan over three administrations. Moderators of Thursday's night's Democratic presidential debate asked Joe Biden, who was vice president in one of those administrations, about testimony that the Obama White House pressured the Pentagon to show a surge of troops was producing results when the evidence said otherwise.

"I'm the guy, from the beginning, who argued that it was a big, big mistake to surge forces to Afghanistan, period," Biden said. "We should not have done it. And I argued against it, constantly."

Fact check: True. Reporters who covered former President Barack Obama's 2009 deliberations about whether to pull out of Afghanistan or double down confirm that Biden was on the losing side of that policy fight, as do Obama White House alumni who were actually part of the deliberations.

-snip-

Link to tweet

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

8 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Joe Biden said he consistently opposed Obama's Afghanistan surge. Obama alumni say he's right. (Original Post) highplainsdem Dec 2019 OP

Thanks for posting PatSeg Dec 2019 #1

That exchange really helped Biden. redqueen Dec 2019 #2

Two Edged judeling Dec 2019 #3

Not so jrandom421 Dec 2019 #5

Of course it's true! Cha Dec 2019 #4

"...2009 deliberations..." myohmy2 Dec 2019 #6

HELLO! Obama was the President.. he had Cha Dec 2019 #7

lmao can you show one major policy fight Sanders has successfully pushed through as senator? Drunken Irishman Dec 2019 #8

PatSeg

(47,560 posts)

1. Thanks for posting

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Fri Dec 20, 2019, 12:34 PM

Dec 2019

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

redqueen

(115,103 posts)

2. That exchange really helped Biden.

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Fri Dec 20, 2019, 12:36 PM

Dec 2019

He defended himself well.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

judeling

(1,086 posts)

3. Two Edged

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Fri Dec 20, 2019, 01:02 PM

Dec 2019

While it showed his heart was in the right place.
For someone who is running on getting things done and changing minds in a return to sanity. The fact he didn't prevail wont help.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

jrandom421

(1,005 posts)

5. Not so

Reply to judeling (Reply #3)

Sun Dec 22, 2019, 01:27 AM

Dec 2019

First of all, you can get things done, but real life dictates that you're not always going to be successful. You win some, you lose some. Doesn't mean you can't get things done, just not all of the time.

Joe wasn't in charge. He was doing his best to make the case to Barak. Just because he didn't convince Barak, didn't mean Joe didn't force him to at least consider what Joe said and maybe make some modifications in his decision. When you're not in charge, that's all you can do.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Cha

(297,486 posts)

4. Of course it's true!

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Fri Dec 20, 2019, 05:12 PM

Dec 2019

Thank you for this report, hpd!

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

myohmy2

(3,168 posts)

6. "...2009 deliberations..."

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Sun Dec 22, 2019, 01:40 AM

Dec 2019

...ancient history...

...what does it have to do with TODAY

...we must try to think more FUTURE

...and less PAST

"...Biden was on the losing side of that policy fight..."

...is losing a policy fight something to be proud of?...