In Afghanistan, the killing of civilians is called "what happened today," and usually involves the Taliban doing the killing. The latter is what happens when we deal with the defenders of the "religion of peace" who have never even heard of a "COEXIST" bumper sticker. Ugly stuff happens in war. We need to keep waging this war. I hear tell that a number of the anti-Iraq War left have called Afghanistan the "real war on terror," the "good war," and even the "necessary war" (as opposed to a "war of choice").
Mad Minerva asks what we should think of this piece that starts by asking us to continue the mission:
Afghanistan policy is in crisis, at least in the United States. With Osama bin Laden now dead, some are wondering whether it's time to declare this mission accomplished -- or with Afghanistan so troubled, perhaps it's mission impossible? In fact, it is mission incomplete: The Afghanistan mission is going worse than we had all hoped, but better than many understand. With patience and perseverance, we can still struggle to a tolerable outcome.
Riedel and O'Hanlon say that, as I've discussed recently, that our plan was a phased offensive with surge troops that first targeted Helmand and Kandahar provinces in the south. Once that was secured, we were to shift to the east where the enemy has been strong in order to shield Kabul. The north and west are basically fine. And all the while we would build up friendly Afghan forces to take over security duties once we pounded down the enemy. Hey, the authors even talk about securing the ring road which I featured over three years ago as I discussed the coming initial surge. And they think we can still fight and achieve a victory.
The rapid de-surge and the threat of other allies leaving is putting that latter offensive in jeopardy. But I still think we can handle the enemy under these circumstances. So I think that this piece is a much needed boost to the idea that we need to defend our country in Afghanistan.
We simply are not losing this war. We are, in fact, winning this war. If you want something at the end of this as safe and well governed as Detroit. Which will actually be an improvement for Afghans. And that can be a country that is not a haven for terrorists to plot how to kill us.
What we are seeing is a bunch of people looking for reasons to run. They've seized on some excuses that distract them from winning and that will be good enough for them. Hell, they'll pride themselves on being "realists."
Good grief, do you blame our jihadi enemies for thinking God is on their side? They spend the last three years getting their asses kicked up and down both sides of the Hindu Kush and yet a couple of relatively minor events shake our will to fight and win? Are you effing kidding me?
I'm disgusted. Work the damn problem, people. Don't be the freaking problem.
UPDATE: Another massacre. Don't expect hand wringing over this common event.
And one of the Afghan military killers who supposedly show our allies are really secret Taliban was just protecting his corrupt side business.
Stuff happens in war. There is little glory in what our troops have to do to fight a war. The objective is what is supposed to be what makes that stuff worth it. If we won't try to achieve something good, it is just good soldiers and civilians dying for no damn reason. And no, the president's re-election doesn't count as something good worth their sacrifice.
