Sanity on Afghanistan

The lead article in today’s New York Times, “Saying U.S. Achieves Goals, Obama Speeds Pullout from Afghanistan,” describes President Obama’s cogent argument in his 15-minute speech last night from the Oval Office, detailing why he will reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan by 10,000 by the end of the year and another 20,000 by the end of next summer.

The success of targeted operations, such as the one that killed Osama bin Laden, and the extensive attacks by unmanned drones have Al Qaeda on the run. Approximately 20 of the top 30 Al Qaeda leaders have been taken out in the last year and a half, and the rest are pinned down by continuing antiterrorism operations.

In addition, the Afghan troops are about as trained as they are going to be pending an American pullout so it no longer makes sense to continue with counterinsurgency against the Taliban. The reasons for American entry in the region have largely been satisfied.

Kudos to President Obama for his guts in standing up to the military establishment so we can use the much needed money for Afghanistan here at home. With an increasing national debt, the $120 billion spent this year in Afghanistan, and more than $1 trillion on Arab wars in the past decade, can be put to much better use.