In the first place, the Afghan people want what we want. They are, as Lord Byron put it, one of the few people in the region without an inferiority complex. They think they did us a big favor by destroying the Soviet Union and we repaid them with abandonment. They think we owe them all this. [...]The only reason I'm not raising realist hell against this endeavor is because it's where the threat originated. We now have a president who seems serious about grappling with the very real problems there.
Second, we’re already well through the screwing-up phase of our operation. [...]
Third, we’ve got our priorities right. [...]
Fourth, the quality of Afghan leadership is improving. [...]
Fifth, the U.S. is finally taking this war seriously. [...]
Sixth, Pakistan is finally on the agenda. [...]
I finish this trip still skeptical but also infected by the optimism of the truly impressive people who are working here. And one other thing:
After the trauma in Iraq, it would have been easy for the U.S. to withdraw into exhaustion and realism. Instead, President Obama is doubling down on the very principles that some dismiss as neocon fantasy: the idea that this nation has the capacity to use military and civilian power to promote democracy, nurture civil society and rebuild failed states.
I say we give him about a year to turn this around. But don't let it become another Iraq or another Vietnam.
Yglesias has a copy of what the State Department says are the Obama administration's objectives in Afghanistan.
Politico calls it Obama's war now
Ambers got a copy of Afghanistan-Pakistan White Paper.doc which was sent by the administration to members of Congress and has some good detail.
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