The Road Not Taken - Yet

At The Nation, Tom Engelhardt writes the Afghanistan speech Obama should have given.

.... During the presidential campaign I called Afghanistan "the right war." Let me say this: with the full information resources of the American presidency at my fingertips, I no longer believe that to be the case. I know a president isn't supposed to say such things, but he, too, should have the flexibility to change his mind. In fact, more than most people, it's important that he do so based on the best information available. No false pride or political calculation should keep him from that.

And the best information available to me on the situation in Afghanistan is sobering. It doesn't matter whether you are listening to our war commander, General Stanley McChrystal, who, as press reports have indicated, believes that with approximately 80,000 more troops--which we essentially don't have available--there would be a reasonable chance of conducting a successful counterinsurgency war against the Taliban, or our ambassador to that country, Karl Eikenberry, a former general with significant experience there, who believes we shouldn't send another soldier at present. All agree on the following seven points:

SNIP

Given that, let me say as bluntly as I can that I have decided to send no more troops to Afghanistan. Beyond that, I believe it is in the national interest of the American people that this war, like the Iraq War, be drawn down. Over time, our troops and resources will be brought home in an orderly fashion, while we ensure that we provide adequate security for the men and women of our Armed Forces. Ours will be an administration that will stand or fall, as of today, on this essential position: that we ended, rather than extended, two wars.

Read the whole thing.

Then take action:

Peter Rothberg has some ideas:

This seems crazy to me. Can't see how it can possibly end well. To cite Malalai Joya, the youngest woman elected to the Afghan Parliament, writing recently in The Guardian, "by installing warlords and drug traffickers in power in Kabul, the US and Nato have pushed us from the frying pan to the fire. Now Obama is pouring fuel on these flames, and this week's announcement of upwards of 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan will have tragic consequences."

If you agree with Joya, as I do, there are a range of groups trying to build peace and security in Afghanistan.

One is the New York-based Campaign for Peace and Democracy. The venerable peace, social justice and democracy group recently sent a declaration to President Obama, titled We Call for the United States to End Its Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It's a strong, comprehensive statement, and it addresses the valid question asked by many critics of de-escalation, who argue that withdrawal equals an abandonment of the Afghan people.

"Withdrawal should not mean that the US abandons any effort to help the people of Afghanistan and neighboring states. Washington ought to lend political support to regional negotiations and to a broader settlement of the disputes between India and Pakistan, which continue to stoke the violence in Afghanistan. Above all, the U.S. should provide large-scale humanitarian aid to the desperately poor Afghan population -- which, aid agencies note, is hindered by being intermingled with military operations."

I was proud to add my name when asked. Now, the CPD is looking to amass as many signatures as possible in a symbolic effort to underscore how wildly un-popular the president's bellicose direction may prove to be. Click here to add your name, to see the growing list of signers, and/or to make a tax-deductible donation to help publicize the statement.

Another excellent new campaign worth circulating is Jonathan Tasini's effort to convince Congressional candidates running for office in 2010 to sign a commitment that they will band together to end the incredible waste of life and resources in Afghanistan.

It's not too late.

Call members of Congress here: (202) 224-3121

Call the White House here: (202) 456-1414