If we leave Afghanistan with the job undone, it's likely the country will fall into an even worse crisis -- and that al-Qaida and the Taliban will be free once more to create a hornet's nest from which to attack the United States.
If U.S. troop levels there remain unchanged, the above scenario is still quite possible -- except that it will come later, after the deaths of perhaps hundreds more of our sons and daughters.
And as President Obama continues his months-long pattern of indecision, he will likely have many more opportunities to salute the fallen as he did this week.
This is not to dismiss the president's dilemma. Political and cultural conditions in Afghanistan are infinitely less favorable than we faced even in bloody Iraq; from infrastructure to tribal loyalties to political corruption and incompetence, Afghanistan makes Iraq look like London at tea time.
But that does not eliminate the dire need to do something about it -- almost anything at this point.
The far-left wing of the Democratic Party from which Mr. Obama budded had, for years, lamented that Iraq was a "distraction" from the true war on terror, which they said was centered in Afghanistan. Why would they now balk at the opportunity to carry through on that strategy?
The paradox for the president is that an exit strategy most probably involves sending more troops, as his commanding general has repeatedly said.
Now, many months into his administration and weeks and weeks beyond which some observers believe a decision should have been made, the president is seeking a province-by-province study of Afghanistan's politics before deciding whether to shore up our troops there.
Such an approach would have been highly worthy eight or nine months ago. Now it just seems feckless and tardy.
This isn't about Mr. Obama personally. Indeed, we similarly urged President Bush to get on with winning the war in Iraq or to pull out ("Summer surge must get results, or we must get out," May 27, 2007).
Rather, this is about formulating a war strategy with a sense of urgency while our troops are in harm's way.
As Obama stews, our allies and the Afghans themselves have to wonder: Why should we commit to a U.S. war that the U.S. president won't even commit to?
"Do Something," a headline bluntly blares from the London Times Online . "Until he does so," the article concludes, "people will continue to die without knowing why. The President must show at least as much resolve as his British allies. It does not seem a lot to ask."
Former Vice President Dick Cheney says Obama is "dithering," adding that "signals of indecision out of Washington hurt our allies and embolden our adversaries."
"I sympathize with our president," says Sen. John McCain, a Vietnam War veteran and prisoner of war, "because sending men and women into harm's way is the most difficult decision that a commander in chief must make. However, Americans are already serving in harm's way in Afghanistan, and the sooner we can provide the reinforcements and resources they need, the safer and more successful they will be."
Says New York editorialist Robert A. George, "If President Obama doesn't make a decision soon on Afghanistan -- stay, go, stay with more troops or stay with less -- the paralysis of analysis will spark a brushfire of anger and frustration from all political corners."
Bloggers and Internet posters across the nation are demanding a decision, and soon. Washington Post blogger Doug Feaver writes, "One thing most of our Readers Who Comment do not want is another study of Afghanistan."
Writes one of Feaver's readers: "Will someone please tell Obama that he's not in a law school or graduate school seminar anymore. He is the President of the United States."
Comments
Congratulations America, you gave Obumbler THE job and he has a resume thiner than water soup. Let's review his achievements, Closing Gitmo in one year..isn't going to happen, create jobs...well AP reports the job creation is basically a farse...suporting the troops and listening to the generals ...three months and still waiting for a decision, More golf than George Bush while troops die..excellent!!!
The war with muslim extremists was over the day we elected a muslim.
you're so right, mccain was a better choice with palin by his side. then all the wars would have stopped,,,,,abortions would have ceased......everyone would be employed....housing market would be rosy......no banks would have failed.....i do believe i'm going to accept your ideals so i can wake up in your little world surrounded by all the disney characters singing hi ho hi ho......
bushwhacker on Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:26 AM McCain actually showed he loved America instead of apologizing for America, Palin actually reformed corrupt Politics in Alaska instead of relecting corrupt politicians like Obumbler did in Chicago. Palin actually co owned and help run a business instead of sucking of the government tit like Obumbler, Bush actually stablilized Iraq instead of abandoning it like Obumbler wanted. Since Obumbler took office we have raised the deficit by by more than all presidents combined, our allies and enemies realize Obumbler is weak, the dollar is about dead on the world market, Afganistan is spiraling out of control, America continues to lose jobs, (the economic stimulus has produced jobs at a cost of about $175,000.00/job). But don't worry bushie whacker, Obumbler has played more golf than Bush did in his first 3 years...
I was wondering how the Augusta Chronicle was going to "Spin" all the good economic news from yesterday...The GDP was +3.5%, DOW up 199 points, and 3,800 Jobs coming to SC for the new Boeing 787 Plant. When you can't dispute the truth, just change the subject! You guys never give up. The good news is in this country that you say is "no longer America".... "DELTA Is Ready When You Are".
Did Augusta Chronicle editorial staff (ACES) call for then President George W. Bush to "finish the job in Afghanistan" before he invaded Iraq? NO! ACES bought former Sec of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's false claim in 2002 that the US war in Afghanistan was "an amazing success". I recall clearly how The Chronicle agitated for war in Iraq. ACES is all about whipping the right-wing rabble into a war fever. ACES's answer for every problem is more military action. United States had & still has the right & responsibility to bring those DIRECTLY responsible for 9/11 to justice. United States has no right whatsoever to wage war in Afghanistan for 8 years or to prop up the corrupt government of Hamid Karzai. His brother is both a drug kingpin & on the CIA payroll! United States does not continue to occupy Afghanistan because of any threat of terrorism. It does so in an effort to gain US hegemony over the Middle East & South Asia. Oil & natural gas are primary reasons United States wages this war for hegemony. United States used torture in its misguided war on terror. This crusade will end badly for United States because it is corrupt. Read why Matthew Hoh resigned in protest of the Afghan war
fred1217 on Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:40 AM Where are the Jobs fred? Good Article in the Wall Street Journal about how businesses are not expanding or hiring because they want to see how much the Democratic Health care reform boondoggle is going to hurt them...The health care clusterf*ck is going to be followed by the cr*p and tr*de tax on Americans to further ruin the economy..What do you smoke fred..is it expensive.. I might need some of it to help me make it throuth the next 4 years..
Carcraft, I don't smoke, don't drink the Kool Aid that the Augusta Chronicle Editorial Page dispenses daily, and I don't do tea parties. I'm an independent thinker that knows it takes more than 10 months to correct all the damage to the country that was inflicted by the last administration. It takes awhile to turn a Battleship. If you need suggestions on sedating yourself... you might try using whatever Rush Limbaugh is on.
It is amazing to hear from a draft dodger like Cain, speaking as if he is an expert on war.
By the time hussein and his staff select a panel to form a committee to choose some experts to do a study on the effects of adding troups to afghanistan,the war will be over.
Even the staunchest Democrats know national defense and leadership of the military were stronger under the Republicans.
This is called "the politican foot drag"and the band played on....
No...this is called putting your politics before the lives of our troops.
BUSHWHACKER, you cannot reason with these ignorant Rush Ditto Heads. They made up their minds before the elections and after the elections they have been singing that same doom and gloom song.The one that the VAST majority of Americans rejected. Let them waddle in their mud puddle of misery.
This is called hating for no rational reason.
Maybe barry told David Letterman what he intends to do.............
Listening to Cheney give advice on Afghanistan and the Taliban. Neocons couldn't get the job done in 7 years but now can tell Obama how to get it done in 10 months. Rumsfeld in 2002, "Afghanistan has been a tremendous success". Cheney 2002 "The Taliban is out of business in Afghanistan" Bush "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq need I say more. If these blithering idiots were so sharp everything would have been over in 2003/2004 according to them and their "experts" in their own words. So Obama is not going to be out giving you kneejerk pep talks and tough talk you righties love. He is going to make informed decisions that benefit our OVERALL national security.
Ok so it takes time to turn a battleship how long should America wait while Obama imposes his socialist way of thinking on us. How much of your pay check do you really need? Because all these lovely programs will have to be paid for. To each according to his needs. I looked in the constitution and I did not see it in there also never found where it is our responsibility to proved healthcare for the sick, lame, and lazy. Now there will be some argue that it is my moral obligation to provide for them, Well i guess my family does not need to eat, or see a doctor, or decent home to live in. Because all the higher achievers will support me until they stop achieving, and decide to take their money and jobs elsewhere.
justus.. barry is procrastinating because he hasn't got a clue....and he as he makes the talk show rounds our young men are dying....we must rid ourselves of this narcissisitic despot....abdicate king barry! I'm sure MSNBC will give you a few minutes each day so they can can all get "tingles"....
I think our President is in a quandry trying to figure out why we have been in a war for 8 years with no real plan or strategy other than to just be trere in mass. What is our strategic objective? Just to say we are going to defeat the Taliban in one area of the world is surely not a strategic plan. For those who question the Presidents motives, maybe you could enlighten the rest of us as to how many times in the last 2000 years Afghanistan was totally occupied by another nation.
ispy4u.....Personally I find it hard to reason with people that I have asked repeatedly to cite something the President has done that is good for the country and been met with silence. It is the troops that have been waiting for help for 3 months, with their very lives at risk (bloodiest month ever last month) that suffer, while the man that promised to listen to his Generals, reveals yet another of his lies. And Justus (even though you will not answer because you are a drive by coward/racist)........you say "Playing politics with the lives of americans is shameful but is the legacy of Bush/Cheney and now the mess must be cleaned up."........Explain how your messiah is cleaning things up by doing exactly what you say is shameful?
disssman..........did Obama JUST NOW figure that out? People are dying while he ponders. Either he is up to the job of CIC or NOT. Nobody said it was an easy job, but he told everyone that he was up to the job........which he is revealing more and more that he clearly is not.
fred1217 on Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:58 AM OK "independant thinker" Obumbler deficit spending more in 9 months than all the presidents combined is better than Bush? Please explain. Obumbler and the Democrats taking over 1/6th of the economy and increasing deficits (the CBO only scores those items given them, many costs have been left out so the cost of health care will be much higher) is better than Bush? Cap and trade will increase costs hurt the economy and do nothing for the environment is better than Bush? Much of the increase in GDP was fueled by government spending, how much longer can we do that "independant thinker"... Independant thinker how long before all this government printing of money causes inflation? Go on and think independantly but you really do need to understand reality..If you objected to Bush's deficits you should be screaming hair pulling upset with Obumbler's...deficits are politically neutral ...
This is some of the "change" the sleeping voters voted for. Even most of them are NOW awake, this horrible experiment will continue through 2012. Be sure to weaken this Mad Marxist's support in 2010...it's the only chance this country has.
disssman on Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:50 AM Obumbler said the war in Afganistan is a war of necessity, his words...He has had the election cycle and nine months to formulate a strategy working with his hand picked General and he still can't figure it out? Bush moved the war to Iraq and area that favored America and bleed the terrorist suporters...What is Obumbler's strategy?
But great news, Obumblere's played more golf than Bush did in three years!!!!
If current "leadership" in Afganistan is represented by the over-run outpost then we`ll never see the end. Imagine that, let`s put an outpost right under 3 mountain ranges that the enemy uses for transportation. It`s much easier to throw a grenade downhill than up. The outposts should be on top of those mtns. and many of them. Oh, speaking of military snafus, McCain was an ace for N.Vietnam, single handedly destroying 5 US jets...no wonder he wanted to stay.
I would not describe thoughtful deliberation as hesitation or indecision. Snap decisions are what frighten me. We've been at this eight years; imagining that waiting on the runoff elections to determine the political landscape is a form of indecision is simply uninformed.
People die during war everyday so stop throwing that up. Partically you neocons that believe in pre-emptive war. It would have been nice if Obama came into office with two wars having a strategy for victory and exit. In the words of Gates "he has the first policy on Afghanistan in 20 years". So he will make an informed decision regardless of what it is there will be more death. Death is a great place to hide behind along with your flags and bibles but I don't want to hear about death from you neocon preemptive Iraq war backers. We don't get do overs because if we did Iraq would have never happened. I just hope he gets it right so we won't be hoping for a do over like with all of Bush's foreign policy.
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