Michael Steele's Short-Lived Afghan Withdrawal
RNC Chairman Michael Steele has committed more than a few gaffes since assuming the post in January 2009, but his most infamous flub came during a Connecticut fundraiser in July, when Steele told the crowd that the war in Afghanistan was "a war of Obama's choosing" and "not something the United States actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in." The remarks were both at odds with reality — George W. Bush sent troops into Afghanistan in 2001 — and at loggerheads with his own party's establishment, which overwhelmingly supports a continued military presence in the country. After a hail of friendly fire and calls for his resignation from the likes of prominent conservatives such as William Kristol, Steele released a statement reaffirming his support for "success in Afghanistan."