The three-day personnel problem ended as well as the White House could have wanted, but, because it’s a symptom of the larger problem of the war, the McChrystal uproar is going to resonate long after sniping about the old soldier—and about Vice-President “Bite Me”—has faded away.Well, except that Vice President "Bite Me" is going to live a very long time.
Those not worried about Afghanistan are not paying attention. Further, how Afghanistan ends will be important for determining how the "Long War" ends. How the Long War ends will be important for determining how Islamist Extremist Terrorism winds down in the United States and across Europe (and the UK).
Regards — Cliff
3 comments:
OIF....and the Long War.....are not going well.....and won't because we've gotten tangled up in our own perimeter wire.
First and foremost, we need to revisit a discussion of a few years ago. Is this a "war" or "something else." If it is a war, we need to have a clear declaration and a required (not desired....REQUIRED) end state of vanquishing the enemy. Currently, we have neither....a clear end state of vanquishing.....and a definition of who or what is the enemy. The Barry Boyz refuse to even use the terms "Islamic extremist" or "Islamic terrorist."
I do find it rather humorous that the current party in power used to deride Bush for his goal of establishing a democracy in Iraq...or rather...setting in place the environment for democracy to flourish. Now that the shoe is on their feet, they don't see that as an unworthy goal for what has become "Obama's War."
The problem is, it ain't gonna happen in anyone's current lifetime. The Afghans (or whatever they were called decades ago) have been doing this to each other and to others for centuries....and Dr. Dave is simply not going to make it happen....or Hillary.....or VP BiteMe.
Now...if it isn't a "war" we are prosecuting in Afghanistan, then what is it we are doing there.....and why are we using our military instruments of war to do it? Gunboat diplomacy of sorts??? Never has worked long term before...unless we brought a defined enemy to his knees....as in Hitler...and Tojo.....but since those two....we have a long record of dithering.
I am not optimistic, but I do think that if it can be done, Dr Dave is the person to do it.
The question is cost, which reminds me of that book on the war in Algeria, called, The Question. Let us hope it does not get to that within our own nation.
Regards — Cliff
Check out Fareed Zakaria:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/07/04/gps.afghan.war.cnn
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