What changed at the G20?

If anyone was expecting earth shattering news on the global economy or manufacturing or jobs to come out of this years G20 meeting, then they were sorely surprised and disappointed. The anarchist turned up in force in Toronto this weekend, while the Canadians issued a collective gasp and categorically refused to claim these hellions as being true Canadians, but not much else happened. So what were the real byproducts of this much lauded G20 meeting after all was said and done.

In my estimation, the true seismic shift and revelation came from none other that president Obama and it had little to do with global economic policy. The seismic shift came on Afghanistan policy. Where Obama was able to get the leaders of France, Germany and Britain and other G20 nations to agree to a five year extension of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

On the one hand that may seem to some like a long term commitment to the war and a policy change, but it's not. To me it speaks more to this president trying to double down and play a pat hand through the remainder of his presidency as it concerns Islamic terror and the middle east.


Make no mistake neither Obama or his administration are willing to admit that there is a war on terror, but they cannot deny that Afghanistan is simply not something that can be easily walked away from. Obama promised to be withdrawing troops there by next summer, but now he has been persuaded to look at a five year game plan and he has convinced Sarkozy, Merkel, Cameron and others that they too need to invest in the long term plan and stick with him on this. (at least for a while.)

While many may cheer and shout and see this as the I told you so moment, of his presidency, the reality is there hasn't really been any "Kodak moment" of clarity for this president as it concerns Afghanistan. He may have replaced Gen. McChrystal for being too frank with the media and trash talking the administration, but nothing has changed as far as how he intends to pursue the war. If it has? Then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mullen and Sec/Def Gates must not have  gotten the memo. As they have already gone on record as saying that the president's Afghan policy will not change under Gen. Petraeus.

So it appears that just as with Guantanamo (and the best laid plans of hope and change,) as it concerns Afghanistan, Obama has stepped in and punched another 'tar baby' and doesn't rightly know how to get himself unstuck.


In either event, the big news to come out of this G20 meeting IMO, is nothing less than the revelation that the president has once again had to concede that his socialist vision for ending the war and bringing all the treasure home to be squandered better on the home front, just don't seem to be working out as planned.

Which leaves the question unanswered, just how much longer will this nation suffer the fools of hope and change as promised by this president, while watching both their futures and their children's futures be wasted on the alter of egalitarian fallacy, empty lies and false promises.

I guess we will all know in the next couple of years.