Renewing Our Lease In Afghanistan

For years the Republican party has claimed the mantle as masters of foreign policy and defense, well not any more. Increased counter terrorist efforts, coupled with a major rise in predator drone strikes, have most of the al Qaeda leadership looking over their shoulders, while trying to operate a very diminished organization.. The war in Iraq is over, and 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden is dead. This week, on the one year anniversary of Bin Laden's death, President Obama went to Afghanistan to sign an agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The agreement was a blueprint for the long-term U.S. role in Afghanistan, including aid and advisers. The deal provides Afghans with reassurances that they will not be abandoned when most NATO combat troops leave in 2014. For Obama, it was an opportunity to draw a line under an unpopular war that was started by his predecessor.

I have been critical of the war in Afghanistan. For its years of lacking a strategy, for its financial cost, and the most importantly, the cost in lives that have been sacrificed and to what end? The President reaffirmed that conventional U.S. combat forces would still leave the country at the end of 2014. No permanent bases would be installed, and the U.S. role would continue with the training of Afghan troops, as well as, special forces contingents to be used for counter insurgency. The agreement leaves an American military footprint in Afghanistan for 10 more years after regular forces are pulled out. We will remain in country until 2024.

I have mixed feelings about this move. First, I applaud the fact that conventional combat troops are still coming out. I further agree that special forces, and drone strikes need to be the primary counter-terrorist tools. In fact I have always said this. As for renewing our lease in the country for 10 more years, I am a bit skeptical. This continues the financial drain of billions in aide, and military intelligence, to an Afghan government that is corrupt, and often unbalanced. Hamid Karzai has been proven to be mentally unstable on several occasions, not to mention the man is a crook. To continue to see billions of are taxpayer dollars flow down the rat hole of corruption that is the Karzai government, is disturbing at best.

However, it is clear the main motivation behind this move is Afghanistan's position on the map. The country sits right between two of the most troubled nations in Asia, Iran and Pakistan. Just like other countries before them, Afghanistan is going to try and become a deterrent to its neighbors of doing or attempting. The question then becomes is it worth it? After signing the agreement President Karzai said, "By signing this document, we close the last 10 years and open a new season of equal relations." Equal for who? I understand the reasoning for the strategy, but 11 years of war leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The billions we have already spent, doesn't help either. Then of course you have the thousands who have been killed or wounded in the conflict, that for a lot of years, took a back seat to the debacle in Iraq. Now we've signed up for 10 more years? I understand it, but I don't have to like it. As for the money we will continue to pour over there... I just think it would be better served at home. It's like paying robbers to stay away from your house, while it's being eaten by termites.