Tonight's show will be primarily President Obama's speech about a troop draw - down in Afghanistan, but I will beg your patient indulgence for a brief subject "detour" in a bit, so thank you in advance!
Our troops have been in Afghanistan for the longest amount of time ever of any American troops in any field of action - including Vietnam; it didn't have to be that way. I supported the initial decision to go there in 2001 because those who attacked our country on September 11 of that year were based from there & had high - level support from there in which to plan the attack & gave them safe harbor. However, the previous President had Daddy issues & was stupid enough to listen to "advisors" who'd had a hard on to go to war in Iraq for years fib about reasons to go, and important resources were diverted from & denied to Afghanistan at a critical juncture to go to Iraq. Over 1000 Americans have died there - including Pat Tillman, whose death & the circumstances surrounding his death were made part of the previous administration's war public relations machine at a time when things in Iraq were going badly. I doubt Pat Tillman's family will ever get the complete truth about what happened to their son that day, and that is absolutely shameful. AND, people complicit in the Pat Tillman cover - up are still part of this administration.
As I mentioned above, I know tonight's supposed to be all about Afghanistan, but I would be remiss if I didn't include just 1 "this day in history" item. George Carlin died 3 years ago today; again, if you're new, you'll hear a lot about George Carlin here - Lenny Bruce, too. I woke up to the news that morning; this world became much less smart & much less funny after George Carlin died.
Let's Countdown.