White House spokesman Jay Carney was asked at today's press briefing, in the context of the Boston bombings, whether U.S. bombings in Afghanistan last month that killed civilians were "terrorism." Carney gave a long answer, but never says "no."
"I send my deepest condolence to the victims and familes in Boston," said a journalist. "President Obama said what happened in Boston was an act of terrorism. I would like to ask: Do you consider the U.S. bombing of civilians in Afghanistan earlier this month that killed--that left 11 children and a woman killed a form of terrorism? Why, or why not?"
"Well I would have to know more about the incident," said Obama's press secretary, Jay Carney. "And obviously the Department of Defense would have answers to your questions on this matter. We have more than 60,000 U.S. troops involved in a war in Afghanistan, a war that began when the United States was attacked in an attack that was organized on the soil of Afghanistan by al Qaeda, by Osama bin Laden, and others. And 3,000 people were killed in that attack. And it has been the president's objective, once he took office, to make clear what our goals are in Afghanistan and that is to disrupt, dismantle, and ultimately defeat al Qaeda. With that as our objective to provide enough assistance to Afghan national security forces and the Afghan government to allow them to take over security for themselves, and that process is under way and the United States has withdrawn a substantial number of troops and we're in the process of drawing down further as we hand over security lead to Afghan forces. And it is certainly the case, but I refer you to the Defense Department for details, that we take great care in the prosecution of this war, and we are very mindful of what our objectives are."
At a campaign rally for President Barack Obama yesterday in Virginia, former President Bill Clinton talked about bringing "this country together" and crossing "all of its diversity." Then, Clinton added this:
One of the minor disgraces of this year's campaign is that the presidential candidates act as if the war in Afghanistan doesn't exist. We have 84,000 troops fighting over there in very difficult circumstances; they've had a tough few weeks, with 41 killed in the last month, but the candidates barnstorm the country with barely a mention of the war or the troops.
President Obama will be traveling today from San Francisco, California to Reno, Nevada to “take part in an official event where he will deliver remarks at the 113th National Convention of the VFW,” according to t
Tom Manion has a moving article in today's Wall Street Journal, ahead of Memorial Day, explaining how he came "to fully understand the sacrifices of our troops and their families."
It has been a decade since U.S. armed forces—with the United Kingdom and the Afghan Northern Alliance—launched what has become America’s longest war, Operation Enduring Freedom, in Afghanistan. And, in addition to recognizing the heroism of those who work to keep America safe, it is worth praising the contributions of an often overlooked group: America’s non-citizen soldiers.
Here’s a chance to help Purple Heart Family Support (PHFS) win a $25K grant from the Pepsi Refresh Everything Challenge. I know volunteers who work with PHFS at Bethesda Naval Hospital, and can vouch for their activities.
What is combat in Afghanistan like? For those of us who have not been embedded as reporters, but want to know what our soldiers in this difficult war are up against, there is now Restrepo, a documentary film by Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger.
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