Afghanistan Massacre Blows Hole in GOP War Support -- Danger Room
Success in Afghanistan “may not be doable,” says the candidate for office. The war has deteriorated so badly that the U.S. may need to “decide to get out,” adds another politician.
These aren’t dovish Democrats. They’re the normally hawkish Republican presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum.
The recent downward turn taken by the longest war in American history, capped by a massacre of children allegedly committed by a U.S. sergeant on Sunday, has unmoored support from even ordinarily-bellicose politicians. Surprisingly, they’ve gotten to the left of President Obama, whose administration is downplaying the significance of the massacre. They also sound more reality-based than an administration that’s investing significant blood and treasure in a deteriorating war with unreliable local allies in a part of the world with dubious strategic significance.
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Update: Support for Afghan Fight Drops Among G.O.P. Candidates -- New York Times
My Comment: Newt Gingrich's comments that the Afghan mission may not be doable has the potential of becoming a turning point in the Republican Party's support of the war. Even Santorum has come out and publicly stated that apologies must be voiced, as well as indicating that a revaluation of the Afghan war should be conducted. But these candidates are late to the debate. Ron Paul's opposition to the Afghan war has been known for a long time, and even long time pundits and former candidates like Pat Buchanan have been voicing opposition to the Afghan conflict for years.
On the other side of the debate .... US Senators like Lindsay Graham and Chuck Grassley, former Presidential candidate John McCain, etc. .... they still support the mission.
As for likely Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, he is voicing the same position of the White House.