The United States is shifting more attack and surveillance aircraft from Afghanistan to the air war against the Islamic State, deepening American involvement in the conflict and presenting new challenges for the military planners who work here in central South Carolina, far from the targets they will pick for those aircraft.
What?? Planes moving from Afghanistan to Iraq?
Remember when our left claimed that fighting in Iraq distracted us from fighting in Afghanistan?
Yeah, that was false--as even our president effectively admitted at one time.
And strictly speaking, President Obama isn't really distracted from winning in Afghanistan by committing forces to Iraq--he can choose to fight to win or lose either or both in the next two years.
UPDATE: Resisting distraction:
The United States will keep up to 1,000 more soldiers than previously planned in Afghanistan into next year, outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Saturday, in a recognition of the still formidable challenge from Taliban insurgents.
This is just to last a matter of months until we can make sure allies provide whatever capabilities these troops are providing.
