Blowback S4 Episode 9 - "Peace Walker"
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Jan 3, 2024 The podcast discusses the Obama administration's promise of victory in Afghanistan, the formation of their war team, complexities of Karzai's fraud and tensions with the American government, the resignation of General McChrystal, corruption and complicity of the Afghan government, a controversial shooting incident in Pakistan, the operation to kill Osama bin Laden, issues with misleading data and controversial incidents, and the insurgency and attacks in Afghanistan.
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Obama's Iraq Withdrawal
- Obama's main foreign policy promise was ending the Iraq War.
- By 2011, the US failed to negotiate a status of forces agreement, leading to their withdrawal.
Escalation of the Good War
- The US troop surge in Afghanistan under Obama was significantly larger than initially projected.
- It began with 17,000 troops but quickly escalated to 21,000 and beyond.
McKirnan's Dismissal
- Obama fired General McKirnan, the top commander in Afghanistan.
- This was because McKirnan admitted the war was going poorly, breaking an unspoken rule.