36 Hours That Gave Citizens a Wake-Up on War.

Evidently, it doesn't take much to rattle Washington.  But when General McCrystal seemed unable to get over the case of loose lips, political people couldn't believe it.  There is more than enough in the story about Afghanistan that is beyond belief.

If nothing else, history must be the teacher that outsiders do not change the tribal relationships of the country's people.  Here we are at 9 years and counting, a war that has no "winners", over a thousand deaths, and over $1 Trillion US dollars poured into the conflict, with no clear path to a positive outcome.  As Frank Rich of the New York Times Opinion Page  put it, regarding the Administration's war philosophy: When we voted Mr. Obama, we thought we were getting a Prius, and instead got a Tank.  Mr. Obama seems unable or unwilling to change the course of the Beltway war machine.

At least I will give the General thanks for the frank discussion of the prospects ahead in the war effort.  Slim and none about sum it up.  While his personal evaluation of Washington and the President were probably not politically astute, his honesty should be appreciated.  And I do.

As a nation, we need to find the will to leave this conflict behind. In the long view of the world, it will gain us little to stay.  We cannot afford that war, its price in dollars, the cost of young lives, and goodwill of the people of the country.  We certainly do not need to prop up a government that is suspect at best - and staying to accomplish the chore - in the Afghan government's estimation will be at least a 20 year task.  Thanks, but no.

When our children and their schools are doing without because we're spending too much on war material, it's time to give it some thought.  The price tag would already have paid for reinforcing Social Security, Single Payer Health Care and better schools.  Take your pick.  We need any of those options more than we need to continue this war.


New York Times - Opinion from Frank Rich - 36 Hours that Shook Washington and
Buzz Flash -  Mark Karlin's Editor's Blog BuzzFlash