Thaindian News

July 2 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The Republican Party leader Michael Steele has been facing heavy criticism and had several calls for his resignation following the comments which he allegedly made at a Connecticut fundraiser on Thursday, when he blamed Obama for the war in Afghanistan and said that it cannot be won. Those comments were in direct contradiction to the stand which the Republican Party has had on the war thus far.

“This was a war of Obama’s choosing. This is not something the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in.” he was videotaped saying. He also added that the resignation of General Stanley McCrystal was “comical” and made fun of Obama for sending more troops into Afghanistan.

In a video of Steele addressing the crown, which was quickly posted on YouTube and passed out by the Democrats, he also stated, “If he’s such a student of history, has he not understood that you know that’s the one thing you don’t do, is engage in a land war in Afghanistan? Because everyone who has tried, over a thousand years of history, has failed,” he said.

A wave of criticism and calls for his resignation has washed over both parties, with Democrats rushing to spread the news and Republicans, such as Republican conservative columnist Bill Kristol calling for his resignation.

Kristol blogged in the ‘Weekly Standard’ magazine , “Needless to say, the war in Afghanistan was not ‘a war of Obama’s choosing. It has been prosecuted by the United States under Presidents Bush and Obama. Republicans have consistently supported the effort. There are, of course, those who think we should pull out of Afghanistan and they’re certainly entitled to make their case. But one of them shouldn’t be the chairman of the Republican Party.”

And the Democrats had their own comments to add. Brad Woodhouse from the Democratic National Committee stated, “It’s simply unconscionable that Michael Steele would undermine the morale of our troops when what they need is our support and encouragement.”

Steele has issued a statement to explain his meaning, that Obama’s shift in focus from Iraq to Afghanistan makes this “his strategy.” He said, “As we have learned throughout history, winning a war in Afghanistan is a difficult task. We must also remember that after the tragedy of September 11, 2001, it is also a necessary one. The stakes are too high for us to accept anything but success in Afghanistan.”