Stop this war before we win it!
Don Surber links to a New York Times article titled “Rethinking our Terrorist Fears” I think the article is about how we shouldn’t fear al Qaeda anymore, but I think it’s actually about not having to rethink our strategy against terrorism;
Audrey Kurth Cronin, a professor at the National War College in Washington, cites the arcs of previous violent extremist groups, from the Russian People’s Will to the Irish Republican Army, that she studied for her new book, “How Terrorism Ends.”
“I think Al Qaeda is in the process of imploding,” she said. “This is not necessarily the end. But the trends are in a good direction.”
With Democrats currently thinking about jerking our military forces out of Afghanistan and as they navel-gaze while the generals are asking for more resources to fight the taliban and al Qaeda, experts have a simple warning;
Even counterterrorism officials who agree that Al Qaeda is on the wane, for example, say the organization might well regroup if left unmolested in a lawless region in Pakistan, Afghanistan or Somalia.
All of the people who said that we couldn’t solve terrorism with a military solution are being proven wrong. The folks who said we were just creating more terrorists discounted al Qaeda’s innate stupidity;
“Right after 9/11, people thought, wow, America is not invincible,” Mr. Mandaville said. “It was a strike against the U.S., and they were for it.” But when large numbers of innocent Muslims fell victim to attacks, “it became more and more difficult to romanticize Al Qaeda as fighting the global hegemons — basically, ‘sticking it to the man.’ ”
In addition, Al Qaeda, for all its talk of global religious war, offered no practical solutions for local problems: unemployment, poverty, official corruption and poor education. “People realized bin Laden didn’t have anything to offer,” Dr. Mandaville said.
So, apparently, Democrats are rushing at light speed towards a quick surrender just so they can’t accidentally win this war.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Terror War
It seems lately there is less heard about getting the troops out of Iraq and more about getting them out of Afghanistan. Also, talk of Afghanistan as a quagmire like Vietnam and that we can’t succeed; where have we heard that before. I guess Iraq is turning into the good war and Afghanistan the bad war.
Of course the One has only talked to his hand-picked General in the field ONCE! Which means his strategerizing will be driven by the opinions of I-am-not-sure-whom who was polled on his opinion, rather than the opinions of the professional soldiers on the field of battle. The more I hear, the sicker I feel. Anybody got any Tums?
It seems to me that there’s no in between for the Democrats. There’s only “we’re losing this thing so let’s go now.” But, what about the gains that have been made? Women got to vote for the first time, girls are going to school. What about them? We know full well what will happen to them if we leave. I hate to say this, but I am not comfortable at all –giving someone a glimpse of freedom then running away.
Seems to me that the Dems need to see that if they pull out, they’re going to be roundly criticized for abandoning a group that perhaps for the first time in decades has seen small steps. Go over to Tim’s Free Range International blog, who has good ideas.
I hope everyone starts bombarding their congress reps and senators with letters.
al Qaeda and Co. imploding?? Hah. The only way that happens is if Saudi Arabia ceases to exist in it’s current form.
Of course no one wants to see us abandon Afghanistan and allow it to turn into a Wahhabi run slaughterhouse. But at the same end, since our overall policy towards Saudi Arabia and Pakistan seems to suck, I don’t see stay the course as a valid strategy.
I mean isn’t this supposed to be about our national security vice democracy building. I wish the Afghans the best in finding whatever they seek, but they have to do that part themselves. But on the other hand, who’s going to argue against the fact that the Afghans will have a much easier time of doing just that if the Wahhabis cease to exist, which is what we should be focused on.
“So, apparently, Democrats are rushing at light speed towards a quick surrender just so they can’t accidentally win this war.”
John, winning the war would then create a level of responsibility. A trait sorely lacking from inside the beltway.
It is far better to react to issues.
Agreed BNG. It’s always easier to react, cuz then you have a chance to run some polls first, before you have to make a decision. And that gives them the fall back of “but the concensus was…..”
They’ve got to get out so gas can go up to $4 a gallon again. Got to keep Rahm’s crisis up.