1000 too many

U.S. deaths in Afghanistan under President Obama hit 1000 on July 7 according to iCasualties. That's nearly twice as many under the new guy as under the old guy, a toll reached in less than half as many years years of war. Neither Bush now Obama has been able to lay out a plausible explanation for the seemingly endless war.

After the initial assault that drove al Qaida to Pakistan and the Taliban rulers from power, it has never been clear what U.S. troops were supposed to accomplish. Were they hunting down terrorists (but the bad guys had decamped) or propping up a government (the one in Kabul seldom seemed to control little more than the capital, if that) or installing good governance (Afghanistan remains one of the most corrupt countries in the world) or training a local army (after nearly ten years the Afghan army has only 600 soldiers thought ready to fight)? Who knows? All the war has been good for has been killing Afghans, U.S. soldiers, and allied NATO troops. Oh, any enriching military contracting companies.

The Obama administration is dragging its heals about getting out. They clearly know and intend that the U.S. will leave. But they proceed by baby steps.

While the Administration has publicly conceded that there is no military solution in Afghanistan, and claimed that it supports 'Afghan-led reconciliation', its policy on the ground is marked by a refusal to establish a timetable for full military withdrawal.

Just Foreign Policy

There is no reason for more killing in Afghanistan by our troops and no reason to continue to waste the lives of our forces. That unfortunate country needs to heal itself and run its own affairs. Enough is enough.