The goal is to weaken and ultimately destroy al-Qaeda's havens and sanctuaries in Pakistan and prevent the terrorist group from returning across the border to Afghanistan, the officials said. The administration began outlining the new strategy for members of Congress yesterday.
Obama also will be discussing it with other leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization when he meets with them for a summit April 3-4 on the French- German border. The administration has been pressing the allies to shoulder more responsibility in Afghanistan.
I still worry about President Obama's ability to make a gut check when the going gets tough (and when his allies turn on him from the left) and I worry about putting too many troops into Afghanistan given our poor supply lines, but the news reports of the plan don't flash danger, or anything, to me.
And while the president's mischaracterization of the Iraq War is annoying, as long as he is willing to fight the enemy in Afghanistan with the goal of victory, while not losing what we've gained in Iraq, I'll man up and let that go.
And if the president can get allies who've not contributed to the war to step up, I'll give him credit there, too.
