Tunnel Vision

At 10 years duration, the campaign in the Hindu Kush is by far America’s longest war. Even though the 10,000 civilian victims of that war hardly mean anything in the United States, the more than 1,600 dead American soldiers do, as do the runaway costs of the war. As American debt approaches $15 trillion, money for municipal needs and services is missing. Meanwhile, the Obama administration throws away $10 billion a month, every month, for a Bush-era war that has long since become Obama’s property, at least ever since he gave in to military pressure and ramped up troop levels there in 2009.

That’s why his announcement of a gradual withdrawal was politically motivated, with his sights firmly fixed on next year’s presidential election. Obama wants to remain in the White House. And to do so, he has to steer a middle of the road course between his supporters who want a quick end to involvement, his military commanders who want full military operations to continue, a fragile Afghan government that will have to shift for itself after the Americans leave and his concerned allies. The end result is a sort of “withdrawal light.” Obama thinks he sees light at the end of the tunnel but he can’t guarantee that it will get any brighter, because after ten years of fighting, there is no plan for a lasting peace nor is there a plan to rebuild the battered country.

War in Afghanistan will continue.