there were folks who did oppose it, but there were a clear majority of members who wanted to take a stand. i think our military s better off and i think america s better off. one of the things you talked about on this show in the past is with this white house, even though you have felt broadly supported on policy issues, not at logger heads with them necessarily on big policy issues. you have not felt like you had anybody to call in the white house. you didn t necessarily have great access very close to power. has that changed at all? i think it s changing. i want to see the president lining up things on veterans issues every month when we come into the new session. we need to focus on unemployment. our membership has a 20% unemployment rate. the suicide rate is scary. the air force, highest rate of suicide on active duty in the air force in decades. if you look at the suicide issue as an example, he can deal with stigma and encourage people to
when we send in an american infantry battalion to the province and say straighten it out that commander is going to go in there and become almost the government for a while. we have to make sure that doesn t turn out to be the permanent case. you ve got to bring in the real afghan government. so there is a difference of view right now but i don t think it s fundamental. i don t think they re at logger heads. larry: try to walk in his shoes? is that a good idea to do that? he has been in power since the taliban collapsed and he has been under pressure all these years and he is committed to his people. he sacrificed for his people. he put himself in danger for his people years ago. we have to try to support him to the best of his ability. but there are weaknesses in his government. and there are weaknesses in the way in which he has conducted his office. the level of corruption is unacceptable. and we ve got to do an even better job with respect to the drug trade. larry: in an inte
doesn t turn out to be the permanent case. you ve got to bring in the real afghan government. so there is a difference of view right now but i don t think it s fundamental. i don t think they re at logger heads. larry: try to walk in his shoes? is that a good idea to do that? he has been in power since the taliban collapsed and he has been under pressure all these years and he is committed to his people. he sacrificed for his people. he put himself in danger for his people years ago. we have to try to support him to the best of his ability. but there are weaknesses in his government. and there are weaknesses in the way in which he has conducted his office. the level of corruption is unacceptable. and we ve got to do an even better job with respect to the drug trade. larry: in an interview with our own candy crowley george w. bush denied his administration took its eye off the ball in afghanistan when he ordered the united states into iraq. he says what happened is some nato allie
mr. karzai is a nationalistic leader. he has said some things in the last few days which show some discomfort, displeasure on his part with respect to some of the things that we are doing. the late night raids, but you know, he wants american troops to eventually leave his country. guess what? so do we. and so there is a difference of opinion as to how this strategy should be pursued. should it be strictly going after terrorists? should it be trying to essentially do an effective counterinsurgency mission where you re in large extent taking over the running of a country? when we send in an american infantry battalion to the province and say straighten it out that commander is going to go in there and become almost the government for a while. we have to make sure that doesn t turn out to be the permanent case. you ve got to bring in the real afghan government. so there is a difference of view right now but i don t think it s fundamental. i don t think they re at logger heads. larry:
regimes have been asking the united states to do something about iran. as i say, i think in a accepts this proves america s point which is this is not just our concern, but a nuclear iran is something that scares the whole region. but does help or hurt? for an american policy maker, the problem is you can t take to the bank. just because an arab leader will tell visiting american that they re really worried about iran and you americans should cut off the head of the snake, i.e., use military force against the iranians is all well and good. but should we get to the point where we or israel do use military force, with can he count on arab allies to stand with us. i would say maybe not because arab streets will not be there and arab governments at the end of the daycare most about remaining in power and they re very worried about getting at logger heads with their own people and i think in the arab streets there s much more support for iran and ahmadinejad