On the Afganistan deadline
From the Wall Street Journal - "Time Limit on Surge Draws Fire":Republican critics said setting a firm date for starting a troop withdrawal encourages the enemy to simply wait out the U.S. efforts, and many officials in Afghanistan agreed, calling the timeline unrealistic. Some Democrats, meanwhile, were concerned the deadline wasn't firm enough and that a sizable force would be left in Afghanistan indefinitely.
Okay, here's a place where I'll go against the prevailing opinion: I think the deadline is a good idea. Or at the very least it might turn out to be a very smart tactic. I don't know for sure if it'll work - but it's possible. And I want to see how it plays out.
Here's the thing: a lot of Obama's speech to me was about the essential message that he has no interest in empire-building. By making it clear that the US has a specific reason and a specific time it intends to depart, he's taken a lot of the wind out of the Taliban's sails. Their entire argument to the Afgani public is that they're freedom fighters, resisting foreign occupation, just like they were back in the day against the Soviet Union. Well, what's the point of fighting for freedom if all you have to do is wait three years for it?
There's a lot that could go wrong, I grant you. There's no proof right now that Obama's word alone will hold much currency with the Afgani public. And there's all sorts of other things the other side could do to throw a wrench in the works - for instance, I suspect that sooner or later, something's going to happen in Iraq to throw off the progress made there. In the end, though, it might just be a smart move - even if most of Washington can't seem to see it.
Edit: In addition, I can't help but feel reassured by the fact that Obama, having inherited two wars, seems honestly interested in ending this one before the end of his term. Rather wish his predecessor had been strong enough to do the same.
Okay, here's a place where I'll go against the prevailing opinion: I think the deadline is a good idea. Or at the very least it might turn out to be a very smart tactic. I don't know for sure if it'll work - but it's possible. And I want to see how it plays out.
Here's the thing: a lot of Obama's speech to me was about the essential message that he has no interest in empire-building. By making it clear that the US has a specific reason and a specific time it intends to depart, he's taken a lot of the wind out of the Taliban's sails. Their entire argument to the Afgani public is that they're freedom fighters, resisting foreign occupation, just like they were back in the day against the Soviet Union. Well, what's the point of fighting for freedom if all you have to do is wait three years for it?
There's a lot that could go wrong, I grant you. There's no proof right now that Obama's word alone will hold much currency with the Afgani public. And there's all sorts of other things the other side could do to throw a wrench in the works - for instance, I suspect that sooner or later, something's going to happen in Iraq to throw off the progress made there. In the end, though, it might just be a smart move - even if most of Washington can't seem to see it.
Edit: In addition, I can't help but feel reassured by the fact that Obama, having inherited two wars, seems honestly interested in ending this one before the end of his term. Rather wish his predecessor had been strong enough to do the same.