GOP chairman: Afghan 'war of Obama's choosing'

WASHINGTON – Republican chairman Michael Steele drew criticism from within his own party Friday, including calls to resign, after saying the 9-year-old commitment of U.S. troops to Afghanistan was a mistaken "war of Obama's choosing."

In remarks captured Thursday on camera and posted online, Steele criticized President Barack Obama and his handling of the Afghan war and suggested the war cannot be won.

"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? All right? Because everyone who's tried, over a thousand years of history, has failed," Steele said. "And there are reasons for that. There are other ways to engage in Afghanistan."

Republican officials confirmed Steele made the comments at a Connecticut fundraiser, which was closed to the news media. The remarks, at odds with members of the Republican Party, were caught on camera and posted on the Internet.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100702/ap_ ... fghanistan

Priceless! :thumbsup:

Michael Steele is a loose cannon, possibly hired only because of his skin color. I am surprised he hasn't been fired yet. Maybe if Novemeber doesn't deliver enough seats for the GOP, he will quit.

Michael Steele is the gift that just keeps giving!

That is one dumb statement.

It kind of reminds me of when Biden said Iraq could be one of the great achievements of this administration. In both cases they are taking a war started during the Bush administration and assigning blame (Steele) or credit (Biden) to Obama.

But this one might be even dumber...

I have never been a fan of Michael Steele, and I agree with SS109, hired because of skin color. There are better republcans who I would like to see take his place, Steele will not step down, no matter what! Then we probably will hear him say the race card against the republicans..JMTCW

ufda king wrote: I have never been a fan of Michael Steele, and I agree with SS109, hired because of skin color. There are better republcans who I would like to see take his place, Steele will not step down, no matter what! Then we probably will hear him say the race card against the republicans..JMTCW

I would not put that past him