[Peace-discuss] Cheerleaders for war in AfPak

[C. G. Estabrook]

[From Wikipedia. The Center for American Progress is a liberal political policy 
research and advocacy organization. Its website describes it as "... a 
nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, 
just and free America that ensures opportunity for all." Its President and Chief 
Executive Officer is former lobbyist John Podesta, who served as chief of staff 
to then U.S. President Bill Clinton. Located in Washington, D.C., the Center for 
American Progress has a campus outreach group, Campus Progress, and a sister 
advocacy organization, the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Citing the 
significant number of its staff and former staff that have been appointed to 
positions in the Obama Administration, Time magazine recently declared that 
there is "no group in Washington with more influence at this moment in history."]

	March 27, 2009
	LIBERAL GROUP PUSHING FOR BIG WAR IN AFGHANISTAN

Another sign that liberal doesn't mean what it used to. In June of 1965, America 
had 23,000 troops in Vietnam, 9,000 less than the Center for American Progress 
wants in Afghanistan. By the end of 1965, the U.S. had 184,000 troops in the area.

Tom Hayden, Huffington Post - The Center for American Progress has positioned 
itself as a "progressive" Washington think tank, especially suited to channel 
new thinking and expertise into the Obama administration. It therefore is deeply 
disappointing that CAP has issued a call for a ten-year war in Afghanistan, 
including an immediate military escalation, just as President Obama prepares to 
unveil his Afghanistan/Pakistan policies to the American public and NATO. . .

CAP begins by calling on the president to meet the request of his commander in 
Afghanistan for another 15,000 troops in addition to the 17,000 Obama already 
has committed, which would bring the near-term US total to 70,000. To pay for 
these additional troops, CAP proposes redirecting $25 billion annually from 
combat in Iraq to Afghanistan. In addition, CAP favors up to $5 billion annually 
for diplomatic and economic assistance, also from a redirection of Iraq spending.

Even assuming the economic assistance reaches villages instead of corrupt 
middlemen, CAP's primary emphasis is a military one, sending larger numbers of 
American troops on a counterinsurgency mission in southern and eastern 
Afghanistan, as well as the outskirts of Kabul. . .

http://prorev.com/2009/03/liberal-group-pushing-for-big-war-in.html