Afghanistan the War We Forgot and Now Have to Remember

I’ve long thought that this should have been the only war we were in. Iraq was a mistake. I won’t go into the reasons why because they are many and not what needs to be discussed now. But we forgot about the war in Afghanistan and because of that we are in the situation that we are today.

I liked the fact that Obama is honest about the war. That it won’t be a walk in the park (as opposed to the notion of we’ll be greeted as liberators):

Now, let me be clear: None of this will be easy. The struggle against violent extremism will not be finished quickly, and it extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan. It will be an enduring test of our free society, and our leadership in the world. And unlike the great power conflicts and clear lines of division that defined the 20th century, our effort will involve disorderly regions, failed states, diffuse enemies.

I like the fact that there is a time line. That there is a goal of when we will get out. Now is it going to be hard and fast maybe not. But it’s better than lets stay until conditions are just completely right. After all the Bush administration opposed a time-line for withdrawal from Iraq. McCain did as a candidate and then along came the Iraqi government and said ah we like the idea of a time line.

Now we all have to hope that the new strategy works.