US Petulance With Hamid Karzai

If Obama's brinkmanship is intended to intimidate President Karzai into capitulating re the US farewell Faustian bargain, it might just work. I always Karzai to cave in at some stage after posturing as much as he can. Attitudinizing and pretence have always been principal tools in his modus operandi. Check back on his mock outrage about the many, many NATO/ISAF bungled bombings, raids and atrocities over the years for the evidence. If, on the other hand, he decides he is more afraid of the Taliban in the post-NATO era than he is of the US, a new requirement presents itself to Obama. No chance for the 'Peace of Obama's Speechwriters' and the Mission Accomplished bull of the old 'New Iraq' spin routine. How's that one going by the way?

Afghanistan is looming as the ultimate humiliating failure for US foreign policy. Never mind Iraq or Vietnam (General Westmoreland went to his grave saying Vietnam was a US victory - Obama would have loved him). Obama's spin men will be ordered to work round the clock to salvage something from the Afghan wreckage for the comatose US public to consume. 

I reckon they will try to resurrect the old chestnut about 'fighting for women's rights' in Afghanistan. A few years ago this became the threadbare life-raft of the failed mission in the tame media. It never was or will be the reason for launching the debacle of course. Time for the White House Press Corps to dust down last year's pictures of Malala.