Obama’s Latest on Afghanistan

Last night I went shopping for Christmas decorations and politics was the last thing on my mind. That changed at the checkout counter, when a voice behind me boomed out a questioning, "Hello?" It seemed almost indignant, so I spun around to make sure I wasn't blocking or offending the voice's owner inadvertently. But to my relief, he was simply shouting into his cell phone.

"OBAMA? YEAH, HE GAVE A SPEECH TONIGHT!" he thundered. "I LOVED IT. HE'S GOING TO DO EVERYTHING HE'S EVER SAID HE WOULD!"

Since my fellow shopper evidently thought the speech was important enough for everyone in the store to know about, I supposed I ought to at least read through it. I have to admit that I was impressed. Not enough to go shouting about it in public places and not enough to believe that it meant that Obama would be keeping every promise he had ever made, but impressed nonetheless.

What made, perhaps, the best impression on me was the president's response to those who have suggested that Afghanistan might become another Vietnam. He said the following:

First, there are those who suggest that Afghanistan is another Vietnam. They argue that it cannot be stabilized, and we are better off cutting our losses and rapidly withdrawing. Yet this argument depends upon a false reading of history. Unlike Vietnam, we are joined by a broad coalition of 43 nations that recognizes the legitimacy of our action. Unlike Vietnam, we are not facing a broad-based popular insurgency.

And most importantly, unlike Vietnam, the American people were viciously attacked from Afghanistan and remain a target for those same extremists who are plotting along its border. To abandon this area now — and to rely only on efforts against al-Qaida from a distance — would significantly hamper our ability to keep the pressure on al-Qaida and create an unacceptable risk of additional attacks on our homeland and our allies.

I think this was an able and eloquent defense. I do, however, have a quibble with part of the president's speech. Towards the end, he declares:

It must be clear that Afghans will have to take responsibility for their security, and that America has no interest in fighting an endless war in Afghanistan. As president, I refuse to set goals that go beyond our responsibility, our means or our interests.

In my view, the president's goals for healthcare and climate change go beyond all of these.

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