General Pelosi Knows Better, Slams McChrystal

Pelosi Backpedals on Afghanistan After Making It a Campaign Centerpiece

Washington- General Stanley A. McChrystal, the top American commander in Afghanistan rejected a call to scale down troops last week and reasserted the need for a strategy that will lead to victory in Afghanistan. That wasn’t good enough for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) who once called for the same strategy advocated by the military’s top ground commander. After making pleas for action in Afghanistan, one would think Pelosi would be General McChrystal’s strongest ally:

“President Bush's failed Iraq policies have handed the terrorists a useful recruiting tool and limited our ability to respond to security challenges elsewhere in the region and the world.”

"Fighting the wrong war in Iraq has not ended the threat posed by al-Qaeda and its Taliban allies in Afghanistan, nor has it brought Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri to justice.” (Pelosi Statement, 9/05/2006)

Now, Pelosi is backpedaling on Afghanistan amidst increasing criticism from the radical left:

"I've also made it clear it's a very difficult vote to get from the members," she added. "Their constituents don't like an escalated war in Afghanistan. They'd like to see a different approach. But let's see what the president has to say." (Glenn Thrush, “Pelosi skeptical about Afghan surge, McChrystal,” Politico, 10/05/2009)

“General Pelosi has no problem sacrificing her own credibility as the Obama administration and liberals in Congress attempt to walk back a strategy they strongly advocated just months ago,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Nancy Pelosi continues to make party politics a higher priority than our national security.  Rather than listening to a four-star general’s assessments on Afghanistan, General Pelosi somehow believes she is better suited to craft our country’s military policy.”

If Nancy Pelosi’s failed economic policies are any indicator of the effect she may have on Afghanistan, taxpayers can only hope McChrystal is able to put her in her place.

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