The Lightening Rod Strategy
Take a moment and look at virtually any structure with significant height; multi-story buildings, water towers, or bridges for example. At the top of the structures you will see an array of pointed, metal, lightening rods. The purpose of these lightening rods is to intercept the energy of a lightning strike during stormy weather and redirect it harmlessly to the ground.
Now consider the current stormy conditions of the national debate on health care reform. Both the House and the Senate leadership are gearing up to advance very controversial health care reform legislation and with it a political agenda that a majority of Americans oppose [1]. Opposition to President’s health care reform proposals is well documented and citizens in grassr00ts “tea party” gatherings and town hall style meetings across the country have made their views well known – it has been a real political storm.
What do you do to divert damaging energy in a storm? Deploy lightning rods. That is what I believe the President has done with today’s “unnamed official” talking to Fox News about the President considering Vice-President Joe Biden’s proposal to reduce troops in Afghanistan [2]. By strategically timing an “unnamed official” story that by itself is controversial, the energy from the opposition to the Senate and House reform bills is diverted.
In my opinion, the President has no plans to follow Biden’s “advice”. Biden’s advice is completely at odds with what the President has previously said the Afghan war strategy should be (we need more troops in Afghanistan); it’s completely at odds with what General Petreaus view; and is completely at odds with the assessment of Obama’s “boots on the ground” General McChrystal. Are we now to accept that the President has completely reversed his perspective on the Afghan front and that he is going to forgo the advice of his military commanders for advice from Joe Biden… the same Joe Biden who wanted to divide Iraq into segments along Islamic sect lines? No, I don’t buy it.
Of course, only time will tell if this report based on “unnamed officials” has any real merit. I just hope that our men and women who are in harm’s way are not being used as political pawns in a domestic ideological battle.
Lightning rods when used correctly can be very effective; employed incorrectly – someone is going to get burned.
Footnotes:
[2] Fox News: Obama Considers Strategy Shift in Afghan War; Sept. 23 2009