Brainwave said:
The individuals I mentioned did have prominent roles working under Bush and Clinton, and Brzezinski under Carter. I agree that "top adviser" in the case of Obama is premature and a little exaggerated, but they are still his advisers.
I do not have a problem with Obama per se, I have a problem with most presidential candidates and so called democracy.
You do realize that Brzezinski's basic idea was to promote and support the insurgent movement in Afghanistan against both the Afghan Marxist state and the Soviet forces that intervened?
That the Soviet invasion also led to a grain embargo as well as the rebuilding of the US military. Although few realize it, it was Carter that began the rebuilding of military. It was also Carter who created the Rapid Deployment Force to confront Soviet moves into the Persian Gulf .
Reagan later sustained these policies- converting the RDF into CENTCOM and allowing his CIA director William Casey a broader mandate, encouraging Saudi official and private aid to the Mujahadeen cause.
These policies were overwhelming supported by the American public.
So yes, Ziggy Brezinski was involved in getting the ball rolling.
And this is a bad thing? Can you tell me what should have been done instead.
Tell me- how was the defeat of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan a bad policy?
When that war ended the Soviets and the Americans essentially cut a deal that neither would involve itself directly in Afghanistan, thus allowing the local warlords to fight it out. These conflicts created a political vacuum that was filled by the Taliban, which later offered refuge to Osama.
As for Osama, yes he got involved in Afghanistan, in the 1980s, as part of that Saudi aid. And as long as he militated against the Soviets he was kosher for Americans.
So if you want to toss blame around, who deserves it?