Obama is Wrong – It’s Time to Leave Afghanistan
“There are two things that President Obama’s plan won’t do: win the war, or end the war.” – Cato Scholar Christopher Preble
The most disturbing analysis of this statement above is that my heart tells me it is absolutely true, and it turns my stomach to think about it…
Last night President Obama announced his plans to escalate the military presence in Iraq by 30,000 US troops and additional NATO forces. Since taken office President Obama has essentially doubled the troop presence in Afghanistan. All to fight a so called ‘necessary war‘ to defeat terrorism and protect our freedoms in the United States…
What many in the US don’t realize is that there is now less than 100 Al Qaeda terrorists remaining in Afghanistan and we are essentially fighting local ‘freedom fighter’ tribesman while attempting to rebuild a nation that is highly corrupt, has no interest in the rule of law and democracy, and is in the midst of a 35 year civil war.
Contrary to public opinion, the escalating violence in Afghanistan is not due to Al Qaeda, but is now due to our military presence in Afghanistan from people who view us as occupiers and only desire the US military to leave. President Obama’s escalation of troops will in no way win the war and will no way end the war, but will continue to drag down the US military in an endless conflict with no clear objective for victory and withdraw - thus costing hundreds of billions of dollars and an unknown number of lives of American servicemen and women.
Cato’s Christopher Preble explains in his recent USA Today article…
As Obama’s national security adviser, Gen. James Jones, noted in October, “The al-Qaeda presence (in Afghanistan) is very diminished. The maximum estimate is less than 100 operating in the country, no bases, no ability to launch attacks on either us or our allies.” We don’t need 100,000 soldiers in Afghanistan chasing down 100 al-Qaeda fighters.
The real problem is that over the past eight years, the U.S. mission has shifted far beyond the original goal of degrading al-Qaeda’s ability to cause harm. Our troops are now chasing after an extremely broad set of objectives, including: promoting “a more capable, accountable and effective” government; cracking down on the cultivation of illegal narcotics; and providing economic assistance in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. What we have seen over the past eight years is a classic case of mission creep. And that mission has a name: nation-building.
The U.S. should have gotten out of the nation-building business a long time ago. Most such projects fail. The prospects in Afghanistan — a country notoriously suspicious of outsiders and lacking central authority — are worse.
So, I must continue to ask the question. After 8 years, why are we still in Afghanistan?…
- Are we fighting Al Qaeda terrorists? – No, they are dead or left the country.
- Does Afghanistan threaten the United States militarily? – No, the peasants of Afghanistan hardly threaten the supreme military power of the world.
- Are we nation building in Afghanistan to keep the money flowing to the politically connected, or to protect and defend American citizens and our Constitution? – Hmmmm, With our politicians respect for the Constitution, somehow I doubt it’s the later.
- Is the US making Afghanistan Safe from Terrorists? – To do that we would have to occupy Afghanistan with hundreds of thousands of troops for eternity. (they may be what some have in mind)
Mr. Preble sums it up nicely at the end of his article…
Our social-engineering project in Afghanistan is a costly folly, one we could have avoided by heeding the proper lessons from the disastrous wars in Vietnam and Iraq. The president’s decision to double-down in Afghanistan parallels the Bush’s administration’s notion that unstable areas such as Afghanistan must be made “safe for democracy” or they will inevitably threaten U.S. national security.
The U.S. need not maintain more than 100,000 troops in Afghanistan in order to keep Americans reasonably safe and secure. Committing more troops in one particularly inhospitable place harms our best interests by pulling us deeper into a bloody guerrilla war with no end in sight.
We should be looking for ways to leave Afghanistan, not excuses to dig a deeper hole.
And if you are still unsure about the escalation of troops in Afghanistan, I ask you one question… Do you believe the people of Afghanistan threaten the US to the level that you would send your own son or daughter there to fight and nation-build?
If not, you’ve found your answer…. It’s time to end the whole mess, and bring our military heros home.
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For more on this topic, please see the following…
Matthew Hoh’s resignation letter. (If you want truth, this is a must read)
Jake Towne – Afghanistan is an Unjust, Unwinnable War
Ron Paul – Saving Face in Afghanistan
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