Having visited Afghanistan twice and followed Afghanistan since 1983, I see reason for optimism.
We do have a skilled and winning team in place in Afghanistan. Obama has not committed to losing in Afghanistan like he did in Iraq. We will have troops coming available as they are drawn out of Iraq. We are not looking at perfection, but the necessary tools to make a good run at victory are there. Many of our NATO allies are flaky, but that is not exactly new news. The French seem to be trying to act tougher. We are inflicting tremendous losses on the Taliban and Al Quaeda. The Afghan National Army is fighting well, even though it is not growing as fast as we would hope.
Pakistan is acting squirrelly, but there is some peace with India along the other border and that is a real positive for the wider region.
We can just hope that Obama actually wants to win this war. We actually owe the Afghans quite a bit since they shattered the Soviet Union and ended the Cold War.
It is a matter of will and leadership.
Pray that the Lightbringer can find those
within him.
