Letters to the Editor
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@SomeNYGuy
According to Charles Krauthammer, this is no longer an issue:
George Tenet has a very mixed legacy. On the one hand, he presided over the two biggest intelligence failures of this era -- Sept. 11 and the WMD debacle in Iraq. On the other hand, his CIA did devise and carry out brilliantly an astonishingly bold plan to overthrow the Taliban in Afghanistan.
That's from today's Washington Post. Let me repeat that. Not three years ago. Not two years ago. Not last year. Today.
Is there any way to win an argument when one's opponents are batshit insane?
-- SomeNYGuy
Well, that IS just plain insane, that he seems to be under the impression Afghanistan was a complete success. Yes, the initial plan was actually the best way to carry out the mission -- sending in a larger military force would've only created a third enemy, the Northern Alliance, who wouldn't have taken kindly to an invasion. By sending in a smaller force to work WITH the NA, we were able to see results.
However, the results were short-lived. I realize there is still a small coalition presence in Afghanistan, but control of operations was handed over to NATO years ago even though it was KNOWN at the time that pockets of Taliban and al Qaeda were waiting in the mountains along the Afghan/Pakistani border, regrouping as well as recruiting.
I don't understand the reasoning of those who insist we can't leave Iraq -- are they OK with the fact that we "cut and run" in Afghanistan? Do they even realize their "we lose, they win" scenario already played out?
Again... why would "the terrorists" be waiting around to operate out of a country where a civil war is raging, when they can (and already are) operating out of Afghanistan?