Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak has finally made it official: Afghanistan will not be able to survive unless American armed forces remain in the country after 2014, which is our military's imposed deadline to defeat the enemy and to secure the country - as dictated by President Obama and his administration.
This plea should not surprise anyone in the United States, because the Afghan people (as well as the government) are afraid of only one thing: us leaving and the Taliban returning. Planned withdrawal when the military outcome is still in doubt is bad enough, but announcing it to our enemies is asinine.
Earth to President Obama. Earth to President Obama.
The United States is winning the War in Afghanistan (our gains in Helmand are proof of success) but our gains are still fragile and must be held at all costs. This was our fight long before it was the Afghan people's, and though it's appealing to some to cut and run during an economic recession, we can't leave until the job is done.
So what must the United States do?
Rescind the planned troop withdrawals in both 2011 and 2014; retain General David Petraeus until the war is won and implement Senator Lindsey Graham's call for permanent U.S. bases. These three crucial steps will defeat the Taliban and preserve the Afghanistan government.
We must never surrender this fight and we must never lose Afghanistan.
This is rediculous {insert paleoconservative criticism of such nation-building}. Why don't you just colonialize it?
ReplyDeleteNation-building? What nation-building? This has nothing to do with that; Afghanistan is taking over most NATO operations in that area: this is defending our allies, while keeping our options open to attack in Pakistan.
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