Let me see whether I have the facts straight.
In May, President Barack Obama removed Gen. David D. McKiernan as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan and replaced him with Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal -- who, in September, issued a dire report warning that without as many as 40,000 more troops for the fight in Afghanistan, the mission "will likely result in failure."
President Obama responded by saying that he would make no quick decision but take as long as needed to do a broad study first on the issue.
Meanwhile, more U.S. troops died at the hands of our enemies.
Roughly a month after McChrystal's requests, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel continued to blame the Bush administration for the chaos in the war. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs blamed former Vice President Dick Cheney. Vice President Joe Biden blamed the generals for a bad military plan. And presidential adviser David Axelrod blamed Fox News.
Meanwhile, more U.S. troops died at the hands of our enemies.
Two weeks ago, when asked about Obama's indecisiveness about McChrystal's requests, Gibbs rebuffed: "The president will make a decision in the next few weeks. ... I don't know when that decision will be. It could be before the runoff (election in Afghanistan on Nov. 7); it might be after the runoff."
Meanwhile, more U.S. troops died at the hands of our enemies.
Last Friday, the president met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and discussed the Afghanistan-Pakistan situation some more and then said he wants another meeting.
It has been almost two months since Gen. McChrystal first warned the president of the dire situation in Afghanistan, yet our commander in chief continues to delay a response.
Meanwhile, record numbers of U.S. troop casualties mount in Afghanistan.
Is Obama's delay about genuine concern, or could it be simply a politically driven tactic for upcoming U.S. and Afghan elections? So much for Obama's campaign promise that he would "make the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban the top priority that it should be."
President Obama, stop riding the fence!
While the White House procrastinates in protecting our troops, the least we can do as Americans is find a way to support them. I even read recently about Marine Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani -- who, for more than 20 years, has served his country honorably. He has done three tours in Iraq and also served in Panama and the Gulf War. Despite his commendable service, however, on Dec. 1, Lt. Col. Chessani will face a military board of inquiry to determine whether he is guilty of misconduct and should be demoted because of the "Haditha massacre" -- an event now known never to have occurred. You can read more about his military tribunal and donate to his case at the Thomas More Law Center's Web site.
Whether it's donating to Lt. Col. Chessani's case, starting a campaign against the delays in Washington or preparing Christmas care packages for our troops, I want to encourage all Americans to find a way this holiday season to support our service members, particularly those in the Middle East.
There's nothing funny about war -- nothing. But if something puts a smile on the faces of our service members, then count me in. That is why I recently set up with the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization Give2TheTroops a way to bless the troops with copies of my fun and inspirational new book, "The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book," which contains 101 of my favorite Chuck Norris "facts" and related stories (many military). The book was released this week, and proceeds from it go to help http://www.KickStartKids.org. You can see samples, read and purchase "The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book" at Amazon.com for less than $10.
And should you want to bless our troops with a copy (or copies) of the book, during your online checkout for the book you can arrange to have it shipped directly to Give2TheTroops' national headquarters via the address below. Give2TheTroops will ensure that the books are included in their Christmas care packages, sent overseas and placed into the hands of our service members.
Please ship the books to: Give2TheTroops, 196 West St., Rocky Hill, CT 06067.
As a family member who has experienced the military sacrifice of a loved one (my brother Wieland in Vietnam in 1970) and as a veteran of the Air Force who was based in Korea, I, like many of you, understand the costs of fighting for freedom. So let's join together in extending a simple thank you, a letter or an outstretched hand of gratitude to our service members and their families. Thanking you in advance for your support.
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