Brzezinski Down on Idea of Afghan 'Surge'

Why is anyone still listening to McCain, Lieberman, and Graham?

(NEWSER) - The Three Amigos who pushed the invasion of Iraq are at it again, now claiming that we must escalate the war in Afghanistan if we want to avoid another 9/11—the same claim they used before to urge us to take on Iraq in 2003, Frank Rich writes. Rich finds it bizarre that anyone listens to John McCain, Joe Lieberman, and Lindsey Graham as they dust off and repurpose the talking points on Iraq, conflating the Taliban with al-Qaeda the same way they did Saddam Hussein's regime. More»

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama’s strategy for Afghanistan must roundly reject the so-called “minimalist” approach being whispered about in DC, write John McCain and Joe Lieberman in today’s Washington Post. The minimalists want the US to focus on limited, “realistic” counterterrorism goals. But McCain and Lieberman remind Obama that during the campaign he called Afghanistan “the war we must win.” More»

Once a McCain ally, Lieberman now praises the president

(NEWSER) - He endorsed John McCain in the election and called Barack Obama "a talker," but now Joe Lieberman is singing "Hail to the Chief." The Democratic-turned-independent senator has been showering the president with praise, saying Obama has "shown real leadership" and "is off to a very good start." But as the AP reports, Lieberman bridles when asked if he has embraced Obama for political expediency. More»

President needs GOP for his ambitious agenda, says Broder

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama came into the White House pledging bipartisanship, but one month in, pundits are telling the president to forget compromise and "get real." Don't listen, writes David S. Broder in the Washington Post, who calls those recommendations "the worst advice he has received." Not only has bipartisanship served past presidents well, it's also critical for Obama's future battles on health care, energy, and immigration. More»

Measure more geared to buying time to revamp strategy on conflict

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama intends to sign off on a Pentagon plan to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, the Washington Post reports, but not because anyone believes this new “surge” will turn around the failing war effort. Obama’s team expects the move, which will nearly double US presence in the country, to simply buy time to re-evaluate strategy. More»