October 1, 2009

Quote of the Day

"Talk is no substitute for action," President Obama told reporters at the White House after talks ended earlier in the day in Switzerland. "Our patience is not unlimited."

Whoever highlights the disconnect between impatience with Iran and patience with Afghanistan is an idiot. Like Octopus Mountain.

Coming in a close second, today General McChrystal rejected counterterrorism and opted for full nation-building at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Troop rumors have been pushed to 40,000.

He also offered this confusing assessment:
"I discount immediately anyone who simplifies the problem or offers a solution... or says 'this is what you have got to do' because they absolutely have no clue about the complexity of what we are dealing with."

Funny, because this is exactly what most American officials are doing including President Obama (from January until August 20th), Admiral Mullen, Senator Carl Levin and Senator John McCain, and insiders of McChrystal's review like Frederick Kagan. All claim to know what to do in Afghanistan, so they must have no clue. And to immediately discount anyone who offers a solution, well, what kind of man is Stanley McChrystal? For all the accolades of his open mind, he just made a very close minded statement.

Octopus Mountain would like to thank McChrystal for belittling us. His condescension is food in the deep. We're onto something.

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