November 15, 2010

 
 
     Thank you, Mr. President.  Thank you very much.
 
     I refer, of course, to Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, who says in an interview in today's Washington Post, that the U.S. should get some of its troops out of his country. Karzai told the Post, "He wanted American troops off the roads and out of Afghan homes and that the long-term presence of so many foreign soldiers would only worsen the war."  He also said the U.S. "must end the U.S. Special Operations night force raids that aggravate Afghans."
 
     As they used to say at all those anti-Vietnam war rallies, Mr. President, "Right on!"
 
     We went into Afghanistan, as I recall, to hit back at the Taliban for their involvement in the 9/11 attacks
on the U.S.   But the Taliban are a mobile force, working from Afghanistan, Pakistan, wherever.  Invading Afghanistan hasn't rid us of them.  Presumably it won't.
 
     Your colleague here in Washington may not agree with you, President Karzai.  He used to talk about starting withdrawals in 2011, but the date quoted recently has been 2014.  Over as thousand Americans have already died in this war.  Why more?
 
     Come on, Mr. Obama.  You inherited two pointless wars.  Combat troops are out of Iraq, we're told.
With a little effort you could end both these follies in your first term.
 
     Be remembered as a peacemaker, maybe.