It is a situation that simply begs for cliches. The administration's policy waltz on Afghanistan is becoming a parody. "War is too important to be left to the generals..." Nope. It is too important for the generals to be ignored.
"Those who will not learn the lessons of history are condemned to repeat them..." That seems a bit closer. It is possible to make a case for the gradualism that plagued the Vietnam War. We don't like to admit it, but in the context of the time there can be some rationale. We lived in an era of bipolar nuclear deterrence. The nuclear age was thrust upon us in 1945 and within less than 20 years we were grappling with how to oppose the spread of communism without invoking a full scale confrontation with the sources of that spread. Gradualism seemed like it might be a way to build a capitalist democracy and yet not expand the conflict to a point which would be beyond our control.
We learned that we could indeed wage a limited war and keep it within conventional limits. But, we also learned that we couldn't win it, we could expend a lot of lives, we could shatter the fabric of our society and in the aftermath millions would die in Southeast Asia. Gradualism is very expensive and inevitably a failure.
Today we've got several generations who have benefited from the sacrifices of the "Greatest Generation", the strong and patriotic people who sacrificed so much to win World War II. These succeeding generations don't serve, don't sacrifice and don't really buy into the inconvenience of commitment to a cause, noble or otherwise. They put magnetic ribbon stickers on their car and mistake it for patriotism. The wear a flag in their lapel and call it national pride. They want conflict resolved at the end of a TV season of "24".
Although few Americans can say that they are directly impacted by the confict in Iraq, they became disenchanted with delay in the outcome. Candidate Obama appealed to that disaffection and promised withdrawal and redirection to the "real" war of necessity in Afghanistan. A surge wouldn't be the solution in Iraq, all evidence to the contrary, but it would be the proper course in Afghanistan. Illogical? Not in Obamaland.
So, he calls in a special operations expert, Gen. Stan McChrystal. He's the guy who coordinated a lot of the "deck of cards" operations that cleaned house on Baathists and al-Qaeda in Iraq. He has spent his career dedicated to counter insurgency special warfare. He's not a Patton, but more of a Wild Bill Donovan in a uniform. Think of him as "double-Oh-SEAL." The general and the President sat down in March and established the mission charter. Off he goes to war and the President is behind him. Or so he thought.
Five months elapse, improvements are emerging and in August McChrystal sends a CLASSIFIED memo outlining the situation and asking for more troops. The memo is almost immediately leaked. Where is the Valerie Plame outrage?
Now, we've got the Messiah saying we've got to develop a strategy. We've got to consult with Congress. We've got to ask Hillary and Joe Biden, neither of which are military heavyweights, what to do. Should we accede to the request or should we pull out. Or should we equivocate and send some troops but not enough to do the job? What happened to the strategy of March?
Attention Mr. President! People die in combat. They do so in the service of their country. Before you stand back and send people to die you had better figure out what needs doing. If it needs doing, send a lot of them and get it done. If it doesn't need doing, then pull them out and take the consequences of that failure which looks to be a nuclear armed Taliban within a year as they destabilize Pakistan.
But, don't say that your General is off the reservation when he speaks publicly of what your office leaked a month ago. Don't tell him to salute and follow orders to lead his Light Horse Brigade against the cannons at the end of the valley.
Gen. McChrystal, you know what you must do. I hope you have the courage to do it. Gen. Petraeus, you also know what this situation requires. Leadership requires standing up for what is right. Leadership requires supporting your command as well as your commander. The troops look to leaders to look out for them. This is a deciding moment for the nation.
2 comments:
Resign in protest?
I agree.
Apparently the policy has been overtaken by political considerations. While policy is always political, it is incumbent upon the politicians to devise "best" strategy. "Best" strategy always prioritizes troop safety and efficient (and timely) deployment of men and material.
In this formulation, the policy is limping along because of the division in the Dem party on war policy. I can only be suspicious, however, of leaked reports, public criticisms of the president, and so on, which could be a publicity operation directed from the White House intended to get all the Dems on board, meanwhile the troops are being used--are placed at unnecessary risk--to underscore the need to get moving on this issue.
There are other unpleasant possibilities that have to be considered here:
1) The current policy is the "best" policy from the perspective of the policy makers and their stake holders:
a) Anti-American Globalists: progressives/leftists and social engineers interested in mitigating American national identity and power.
b) Wall Street, banks and military-industrial complex profiteers.
c) Some odd-fellows alliance of a) and b).
Whatever the case, Obama's stalling while a "strategy" is formulated is reprehensible. If he is willing to put service personnel at unnecessary risk for political ends, then what deprivations is he willing to put civilians through to achieve his political ends?
Tighten up, America. Think these possibilities through and do so quickly.
I agree about the need for a swift response - resignations would do it.
But I suspect Capitol Hill wouldn't mind a few more KIA. It suits them and they needn't get their hands wet in the doing.
We ought never to seat a president who hasn't served in combat. Madness to give them the power to send people to die when they haven't known what it feels like to be sent, themselves.
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