British defense secretary blasts Obama on Afghanistan

Bob Ainsworth, the British defense secretary, blames Barack Obama for the decline in public support for the war in Afghanistan:

"Mr Ainsworth took the unprecedented step of publicly criticising the US President and his delays in sending more troops to bolster the mission against the Taliban. A "period of hiatus" in Washington - and a lack of clear direction - had made it harder for ministers to persuade the British public to go on backing the Afghan mission in the face of a rising death toll, he said. Senior British Government sources have become increasingly frustrated with Mr Obama’s "dithering" on Afghanistan, the Daily Telegraph disclosed earlier this month, with several former British defence chiefs echoing the concerns. But Mr Ainsworth is the first Government minister to express in public what amounts to personal criticism of the US president’s leadership over the conflict which has so far cost 235 British lives. Polls show most voters now want an early withdrawal, following the death of 98 British service personnel this year alone. Ministers say the mission is vital to stop international terrorists using Afghanistan as a base."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/6646179/Bob-Ainsworth-criticises-Barack-Obama-over-Afghanistan.html

When Dick Cheney and the British socialist Labor Party both agree, you have to believe there is some validity to the criticism. Of course, the American elites will continue to dismiss all criticism of Obama as illegitimate.