https://pjmedia.com/michaelledeen/2009/03/31/afghanistan-and-beyond/feed/PJ Media is a leading news site covering culture, politics, faith, homeland security, and more. Our reporters and columnists provide original, in-depth analysis from a variety of perspectives.en-usThu, 11 Jun 2026 06:46:50 -0400<![CDATA[The refusal to see the terror war plain, which blinded the Bush Administration for seven years, continues to bamboozle our strategists.  It looms over the  “new” strategy for defeating al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Afpak).  Listening to the president’s vision for the war–three dead letters his secretary of state proudly and mistakenly consigned to the garbage pail of history a few days ago–reminds me of the story of Mark Twain’s wife and his penchant for blaspheming.  One evening she tried to shock him by unleashing a torrent of four-letter words.  He chuckled, and said, “you’ve got the lyrics, dear, but the music’s all wrong.”]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:46:48 -0400<![CDATA[Michael Ledeen]]>https://pjmedia.com/michael-ledeen/2009/03/31/afghanistan-and-beyond-n186405