I Agree With George Will

Yesterday, California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton emailed the letter below announcing his organization's desire for a speedy American withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Dear Supporter,

Recently, I wrote you about HR 2404, which would require the Secretary of Defense to define an exit strategy for Afghanistan, so we can start bringing our troops home.

Of course, Democrats aren't the only ones who have concerns about the war in Afghanistan. This week, conservative writer George F. Will penned a column titled "Time to Get Out of Afghanistan."

I don't usually agree with George Will, but in this case, he's right: We need to leave Afghanistan as soon as safely possible.

Alexander the Great, the British Empire and the Soviet Union could not impose their will on Afghanistan. Neither can the United States.

It's time for American troops to come home - not only from Iraq, but from Afghanistan. And it's time the people of Afghanistan assumed full control of their own country.

Not only do we need an exit strategy, we need to exit Afghanistan as soon as safely possible.

Our brave men and women have performed admirably in Afghanistan. Now it's time to bring them home.

Peace and friendship,

John

Comments

[noaxe397]

I've watched the inbreds at these town hall meetings break down in tears over fear for where they think the president is leading the country.

Too bad they can't direct a fraction of that rage, fear, hatred, anger they hold for our president at the guy who masterminded the plan to kill 3000 Americans almost now a decade ago.

Republicans soil themselves over such arcane and esoteric concepts as budget deficits or single payer or public option, but when it comes to preventing another attack on our nation from being engineered where the last one was, then it's no big deal.

[Jaloysiusm]

I'm afraid I'm with Mr. Will on this one, and I also applaud how far out ahead he was on what a disaster the Iraq war was. I tend to believe that Will's beliefs are influenced by the Catholic theory of just war, for which neither of these wars qualifies.

And read the history of Afghan invasions. More disasters than can be numbered. We would need to be prepared to keep a large force there not for years, not for decades, but forever. I appreciate Obama's understanding that Afghanistan is a center of Islamic terrorism, as opposed to Iraq, which had as much to do with 9/11 as Iceland. But he's doubling down on a lost cause, and for the same reason he's doing most things these days: he's inexplicably scared of the GOP.

[steve12]

President Obama has been office for 8 monthss. George Bush was in office for 8-years. So many lives have been lost, so much death and destruction in Afghanistan and for what? I was against the war from the beginning. However, I think we need to give President Obama a chance to solve the crisis.

We abandoned Afghanistan once and it became a safe haven for the most radical terrorists and was being run by the most radical Muslim thugs. We cannot allow that to happen again. Too much blood has been spilt. Give President Obama a chance. I think he deserves one.

[joebiz]

As a Democrat and a progressive, I come to the debate table with a few ideas on this matter.

Republican party courtier Geroge Will now seeks to upset the neo-cons in the Obama administration by leaving out one crucial actor in the military intervention. The problem with Afghanistan is NOT the US military involement, it's agressive post-colonialism by Pakistan!!

Pakistani aggression or "Pakistani colonialism" is the policy of introducing non-state actorrs like the Taliban, and its al-Qaida guests on Afghanistan. (Along with Pakistan, only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates ever recognized the Taliban as the legal government in Kabul.) Pakistan have never given up the aspiration to run Afghanistan as a client or dependent or proxy state, and this colonial mindset is especially well-entrenched among senior army officers and in the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, or ISI.

Now, it's unfortunate that one of the most democratic and liberal and progressive Californians agrees with a an uninspired analysis and knee-jerk reaction by a leading Republican and conservative.

Californians and progressives should stand besides the Afghan people and help reject this Pakistani agression to annex its country through proxy terrorists and subversives.

[diak0n0s]

You and Will and traditional Conservatives are absolutely right. It is quagmire that cannot be won.

This should show the difference between old line Conservatives and Neo Cons.

[RonRutherford]

Agreed, let's hope there is a resurgence of REAL conservatism in America.

[ETSpoon]

First of all, I do not want to hear...or read...or see on TV any whining, crying, moaning or whimpering when the United States withdrawls our soldiers and Marines and the Taliban marches back into downtown Kabul and begins murdering women for imagined offenses to the Qur'an.

Please check out the link below for all the HuffingtonPost.com news stories and op-eds on the terrible treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan both by the Taliban and Afghan men in general.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/searchG/?cx=partner-pub-3264687723376607%3Atlvacw-gkue&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=women+afghanistan&sa.x=23&sa.y=10#1404

Furthermore, do not think for a moment, say, if President Obama withdraws all US forces from Afghanistan within the next 90 days or so, that the men and women in uniform will be eternally grateful. We must remember our All Volunteer Force military is the child of the anti-Vietnam War movement--the leaders of which were the suburban sons and daughters of privilege--and Richard Nixon midwifed by free market-Jesus Milton J. Friedmen. Remember the old anti-draft slogan, "Let those who want to be there, be there?"

Look at all the news stories and op-ed on fundamentalist Christians infiltrated our United States armed forces: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/searchG/?cx=partner-pub-3264687723376607%3Atlvacw-gkue&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=us+military+fundamentalist+christian&sa.x=19&sa.y=11#1374

[TheBurdicks]

Just as the Russians experienced so recently, and the British experienced before, and everyone else who has tried to occupy Afghanistan have experienced for hundreds of years, we have met our match in Afghanistan. We have been defeated.
Just as in all our other recent military misadventures, we have lost this war. It is time to tuck our tail between our legs and make a hasty retreat, before our losses become more acute, with more dead young men and women, and more of our dwindling treasury wasted.
It's over.
If we see terrorists regrouping anywhere in the world, as our advanced technology has enabled us to do, we have drones, tactical and strategic bombers, and cruise missles for response. In some extreme case, we have the Navy Seals and other Special Forces for more focused and more devastating blitzkreig in and out strikes.
We cannot afford to put our young men, and my oldest son who deploys to Afghanistan this week, in harms way for a lost cause.

[steve12]

Its government was protecting the self admitted organizers of 9-11. What should we have done? Do we allow it to become a state sanctioned safe haven for terrorists again? Should we allow Afghanistan to fall to these Muslim thugs that kill women for not wearing the right headdress or attending a school.

We have to stay to fix this. We need to put them on a path that allows women and girls to become educated. We need to put Afghanistan on a path towards self determination.

[RepugsOut08]

Let's get our brave soldier's out of these sh*t holes, and pray that the door doesn't hit them in the a$$.

[buttonz]

Why does anybody here really care? There is no draft that is taking people who want to go to Afghanistan, stop speaking on behalf of people that aren't you. Not to mention the vast majority of these people dont even share your beliefs.

And our involvement in Afghanistan is justified. Afghanistan badly needs our influence and help with the tools necessary for nation building. Only 6% of Afghanistan supports the Taliban and all that 6% comes from the Pushtun south. We don't need to repeat our failures in the 1990's when we did precision strikes in Afghanistan, it sure didn't stop 9/11. And we certainly don't want to go back again if the Taliban create another breeding ground for transnational terrorism.

[allwrite]

"Why does anybody here really care?" Care that we are blowing up lives and dollars while health care opponents rant about the costs of universal health care?

"Not to mention the vast majority of these people dont even share your beliefs."
Forgive me for suggesting that that this notion applies to you.

"And we certainly don't want to go back again if the Taliban create another breeding ground for transnational terrorism." We won't have to go back if we never leave. Is that your theory?

[TheBurdicks]

I probably have been banned for my last irate reply to Buttonz, but now, I have calmed down somewhat.
I really, really care because my eldest son, the love of my life, my pride and joy, the lion of my family, an incredibly brave Hospital Corpsman with a Marine combat unit, and a loyal American, will leave for Helmand Province in Afghanistan in a few days, this after 7 months of combat in Fallujah, Iraq.
There is no coherent strategy for him or his unit.
There is no exit strategy.
There has been nothing presented to the citizens of this country which could possibly justify the risk of my son's life in a far away place fighting another lost war, just as I fought in Viet Nam.

So, Sir, here's one reason I care, and I think it's a good reason for everyone else to care too.

[rose1123]

If President Obama, as one writer stated allows the military to tuck their tales and leave Afghanistan, it is in my opinion, that we are leaving the door open for an immediate terror attack. George Will is not a military authority and should not be listened to. He sits around all day and comes up with opinions that are beyond any sane human beings imagination. He is getting old and he needs the attention. He has been upset with Obama ever since he and his so-called neocons buddies invited Obama for drinks and found out then that Obama was his own man and would not be rolling over to them. Its a ploy. If this country is attacked again, of course, it will be Obamas' falt. The President should make decisions based on his military advisors and not George Will. Has George Will ever been in the military?'' This is just another set by the right wing.

[NickfromCali]

Dear Mr. Burton,
I will rejoin the California Democratic party when you tell Senator Dianne Feinstein that she will no longer get any support from the CDP if she ever chooses to run for statewide office ever again.

Sincerely,
Progressive Former Democrat(s)

[3dtrix]

The real issue in Afghanistan isn't Afghanistan. There isn't much of strategic value there - but it is Pakistan's back yard, and the US wants both access to the tribal highlands of Pakistan (the Taliban's redoubt) and proximity to Pakistan's nukes - which are perilously close to falling into the hands of the mullahs in an Iran-style fundamentalist takover.

[Alethia]

No, you are not correct. Pakistan has come back stronger after routing the Taliban in Swat and now other parts of the North West of their country.

Both Gates and Mullen have praised Pakistan's resilience and strength and have commented that their success has gone beyond the expectations of even a year ago. They have also certified that the command and control procedures in their nuclear arsenal is up to par with international standards.

The stabilized situation vindicates the policy of the U.S. maintaining Pakistan as a key ally in a very
turbulent part of the world under difficult circumstances.

[3dtrix]

That's what I said - and if you take optimistic press releases at face value, remember - you get what you pay for (if you're lucky). We're spending the money to get what we've purchased so far...

[GayGrandpa]

GEORGE WILL IS RIGHT...no pun intended.

[Lemlakit]

While getting out of Afghanistan is the correct course of action for the USA and for the people of the Middle East,--- WE have a terrible situation right here in our country. Yes 18 of our returning soldiers are commiting suicide PER DAY, why ? The VA and the Courts are processing to settle and it is taken 2 years to make decisions while the soldiers wait discoraged and commit suicide, Please look this up, it is a shame, we are losing more soldiers in our door steps than in the war. How come this situation is not on the NEWS ? Let's get togeher and resolve it right away PLEASE > The entire government needs to get involve and President Obama to lead.
Lemlakit

[3dtrix]

We ask our soldiers to do the unspeakable to an enemy that is impossible to positively identify - who blend in with women and children - who might BE women and children. Our killing systems are nightmarishly powerful and efficient - and to operate them capably, the operators must behave in a way they've been told all their lives not to, in service of political, religious, and economic abstractions that have no relation to the lives they knew as civilians - and when the killing is done, when everything they ever believed has been turned into its brutally ugly opposite, they are expected to go home as if they hadn't seen or done anything extraordinary and to just go about their business as they had before. If that isn't a recipe for madness and self-destruction, I don't know what is...

[GayGrandpa]

It is horrifying to read what you wrote and to know it is all true.

[Opus007]

I think may be the first time I have agreed with George Will. He may have some agenda for his position but I have mine. We need to get out of the World's Policemen role and start pouring that money into innovation here in the US. The military industrial complex wants to keep it's income stream. Well enough corporate welfare for them- they have to re-tool and build something else like wind turbines or something. We have to fire Blackwater, KBR and Halleburtin. We have to stop occupying countries period. Why don't we mind are own business and that right there will lower our threat level.

[ElTommo]

It's always a weird feeling when I agree with George Will. O.o

[Doofus]

Unfortunately, an even weirder rule is:
Whatever George Will says, do the opposite.