As I've mentioned here before, it bugs me no end when people think "talking tough" is an answer to a problem. Anyone can talk tough. Ask me how to solve any problem in the world and I can say, "We're going to stop pussyfooting around. We're going to get in there and kick ass and get it done and if anyone gets in our way, they're gonna regret it!"
That is not a solution. It's what you say when you don't have one and you don't want to admit it. A solution might emerge if you take that attitude but it's kind of like if I ask you, "What's your plan?" and you answer decisively, "To get a plan!"
Yesterday, Donald Trump delivered what they're calling a major speech on Afghanistan and what his administration will do there. It sure sounded to me like…
We're not going to follow the failed policies of previous administrations! No, I'm a bold and decisive leader so instead, we're going to do what previous administrations have done but we may try a little more of it and I'm going to talk tougher to the American people and tell them we're kicking ass and getting it done and if anyone gets in our way, they're gonna regret it! Furthermore, when anything does go right — as some things have based on what my predecessors did — my administration is going to claim full credit for it, and when things go wrong, we're not going to hesitate one moment before blaming my predecessors, because really all that matters here is that I look like a great leader! Thank you and God bless America!
Afghanistan has turned into one of those wars that no one knows how to "win" in any sense of that word so all we can do is not look like we're losing. Kevin Drum writes about it here and again here. All Trump ever cares about is his own reputation and we've all seen how well he's handling that. Now, this…
- Daniel Larison on Trump's alleged Afghanistan policy…and here's another piece by Larison which says more about it. And while you're at it, read Mark Perry and James Fallows and also Fred Kaplan. This is one of those amazing times when lots of Liberal pundits and Conservative ones are saying the same thing.
- In other news, the travel and lifestyle plans of the Trump family are exhausting the budget of the Secret Service. Remember when if Obama went anywhere, his critics would spread stories about him costing taxpayers eighty zillion dollars? Well, the Trumps really are costing us a whole lot of money and those same critics now look the other way because, after all, it's them.
- As Jonathan Chait notes, the new Republican strategy about Obamacare just seems to be lying even more about it.
- The list of false and misleading claims by Trump, as tallied by the Washington Post, tops the 1,000 mark! Congrats!
- And getting partially back to Afghanistan, Matt Yglesias goes for an overview of the Trump administration and how it really isn't changing very much of what it promised to change…unless doing the same things badly constitutes a change.
Trump's approval ratings do not seem to be plunging as much as some had predicted but they sure ain't going up. Maybe he's now down to the people who wouldn't squawk if he did shoot someone on Fifth Avenue. Let's hope he doesn't decide to try it just to make sure.