Washington Post: Obama's Afghan plan draws praise from Rep. Joe "You Lie" Wilson

December 1, 2009

Obama's Afghan plan draws praise from Rep. Joe "You Lie" Wilson
By Paul Kane

https://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/12/obamas_afghan_plan_draws_prais.html

In a sign of the odd couplings created by the politics surrounding the Afghan war, President Obama received a ringing endorsement Tuesday from Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) for his proposal to send tens of thousands of additional troops to the battlefield.

Three months after shouting "you lie" as Obama delivered a health-care address to Congress, an outburst that drew a rebuke from the House, Wilson issued a statement in advance of the president's speech before cadets at West Point.

The lawmaker applauded the president for adhering to his generals' request for more troops. The praise came with a few caveats, but it's as cheerful as Wilson -- who raised more than $2 million in campaign donations after his shout at Obama -- has been of late for any action taken by the president.

Here's Wilson's full statement:

"I applaud the President's decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. While this decision is long overdue, I'm pleased that the President has listened to our commanders on the ground as they aggressively pursue a multi-dimensional counter-insurgency strategy to secure Afghanistan.

"Success in Afghanistan should be we win, they lose. I hope the President will use his speech to the American people tonight to outline the roadmap to winning. The speech I'd like to hear tonight would focus on the Administration's commitment to listen to our commanders on the ground, properly define the role of Afghan National Security Forces, and recognize we face a determined enemy who plan to test our resolve.

"For the sake of our mission, American families at home, and our brave men and women in uniform, I hope the President will rally Congressional leaders behind his strategy and our troops' mission in Afghanistan."