October 7 marked the seventh anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.
Our British allies are telling us that there is no military solution, that there must be a political solution, and that there should be talks with the Taliban. It would be a step forward for U.S. policy if the Presidential candidates would acknowledge this reality in the next Presidential debate on October 15.
The top British military commander in Afghanistan says, "We're not going to win this war," and "If the Taliban were prepared to sit on the other side of the table and talk about a political settlement, then that's precisely the sort of progress that concludes insurgencies like this."
The British government supported the commander's statements: a spokesman said the UK's ministry of defense "did not have a problem" with warning the UK public not to expect a "decisive military victory" and to prepare instead for a possible deal with the Taliban.
Meetings between Taliban representatives and Afghan government officials took place recently in Saudi Arabia.
Defense Secretary Gates made partially supportive remarks. Gates endorsed efforts to reach out to members of the Taliban or other militants in Afghanistan who may be considered reconcilable, much like what has happened in Iraq.
But what Gates didn't acknowledge was the need to bring in people at a higher level than individual fighters, which would likely involve political accommodation. In Iraq after 2006 the U.S. brought in leaders, and made accommodation for groups with political demands, such as integration into the Iraqi army.
Some may wish to postpone confronting the uncomfortable reality of Afghanistan until after the election. But the danger is that the candidates will lock us into a policy of military escalation, which without a new political strategy, is almost certainly doomed to fail. That would mean more needless American and Afghan deaths before we accommodate reality. Why not begin accommodating reality now, and avoid the needless deaths?
Ask the Presidential candidates and debate moderator Bob Schieffer to acknowledge reality in Afghanistan.