Dissension in the Ranks: The NYT's Friedman and Dowd Take Issue with Obama

Long in lockstep with Obama, several of The New York Times mandarin op-ed writers are growing increasingly uncomfortable with the current administration. In an op-ed published in today's New York Times, entitled "This I Believe", Thomas Friedman states:

"Let me start with the bottom line and then tell you how I got there: I can’t agree with President Obama’s decision to escalate in Afghanistan. I’d prefer a minimalist approach, working with tribal leaders the way we did to overthrow the Taliban regime in the first place. Given our need for nation-building at home right now, I am ready to live with a little less security and a little-less-perfect Afghanistan."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/opinion/02friedman.html

This is a cost/benefit analysis with which I agree. My online response:

I was not at the Tuesday lunch for opinion writers; however, the president's determination to opt "for a surge now to help Afghans rebuild their army and state into something decent — to win the allegiance of the Afghan people" is patently absurd. A swelling population, a history of tribal warfare, and an economy dependent upon opium and hashish production, all destine Obama's "surge" to failure. Win the "allegiance" of the Afghan people? To whom? To what? Meanwhile, the billions that will be wasted in Afghanistan are needed more than ever for nation-building back home in the U.S.

Anyone familiar with Afghanistan knows that the "allegiance" of the "Afghan people" is to family and clan, and this is not going to change for another thousand years. Or stated otherwise: I am deeply concerned that Obama is again smoking the stuff he inhaled in his youth.

Maureen Dowd, in an op-ed entitled "Who's Sari Now?", also today takes the president to task:

"Even before the Salahis swept in preening, the Obama staffers were there preening, standing around celebrating themselves. And of course, savoring the wonder of the Obama brand."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/opinion/02dowd.html

My response:

The Obama staffers "savoring the wonder of the Obama brand"? This will not continue much longer. Following Obama's decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, many of his subjects are whispering that the emperor has no clothes.

Interesting to note that The Times is now permitting my online responses. I even managed to have a comment posted in response to Roger Cohen's op-ed of yesterday's date, "A Jew in London".

The Times they are a-changin'.