Michael Steele has come under recent criticism from almost everyone for comments he made last week. He essentially said that the war in Afghanistan is now a “war of Obama’s choosing” and that the US troops will fail.
Many people in his own party have come out against Steele for making these comments. An unlucky supporter has emerged from the chaos and that person is Congressman Ron Paul.
However, conservative GOP Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, in a statement to CNN, supported Steele and said the RNC chairman’s characterization of the war was correct.
“He is guiding the party in the right direction and we (the GOP) are on the verge of victory this fall,” said Paul, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008. “Chairman Steele should not back off. He is giving the country, especially young people, hope as he speaks truth about this war.”
Paul, meanwhile, wants the United States to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.
“I would like to congratulate Michael Steele for his leadership on one of the most important issues of today,” Paul said. “He is absolutely right: Afghanistan is now Obama’s war. During the 2008 campaign, Obama was out in front in insisting that more troops be sent to Afghanistan. Obama called for expanding the war even as he pretended to be a peace candidate.”
Steele’s critics are supporting “Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama’s war,” Paul said of the Democratic House speaker and president.
“The American people are sick and tired spending hundreds of billions of dollars a year, draining our economy and straining our military,” Paul said. “Michael Steele has it right and Republicans should stick by him.”
However, Pelosi last week voted for an amendment to a Pentagon spending bill that would have placed tough restrictions on funding for the war in Afghanistan — including a demand for a detailed troop withdrawal plan and a threat to pull money for the war if the military stays beyond next summer.
Now, I understand where Steele and Paul are coming from. Obama has put a point of emphasis on this war that makes him more culpable for the consequences. But, we cannot forget what these wars are about. Iraq was a BS vendetta war from Bush 2. Saddam was a bad person and deserved to be ousted. A better Iraq may even come from the ashes. But, this war was wrong.
Afghanistan is different. If we believe in the connection between the Taliban, al-Qaeda and the 9-11 attacks then it is clear that we had no choice.
I am someone who has advocated, just as Ron Paul has, for a reduction in our military spending. But, it is pretty messed up if the US goes into Afghanistan and drops bombs, destroying villages, cities and infrastructure. We build up some of it back, but not all of it. So, if we leave there will be a mess that remains. Except this time, more people will hate the US. The fact is that we cannot leave Afghanistan until it is a stable country that can maintain its own security.
Even if this is now “Obama’s war,” it would be horribly inhumane and cruel to leave Afghanistan in the condition that it is in today.
I think Steele will have no choice but to resign over this matter. If Ron Paul is your only supporter as Chair of the GOP, you are in trouble.
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