Missing the Bus (Updated) 1

My two or three regular readers know that I have for years said that we should have finished with Afghanistan, rather than pursuing the Great and Glorious Patriotic War for a Lie in Iraq.

But I am more and more coming to conclude that the Bushies wasted too much time on their delusional imperial adventures and that Afghanistan no longer matters.

Shaun Mullen advances powerful arguments at Kiko’s House.

Addendum:

I listened to yesterday’s Radio TImes today; Dick Polman and Trudy Rubin discussed U. S. foreign policy. In it, Trudy Rubin, who has reported on the Middle East and Afghanistan for years, articulates an argument for staying in Afghanistan. It sums up to

America’s leaving Afghanistan too soon ———>
Pakistani support for the return of the Taliban (which is distinct from Al Quaeda) because Pakistan fears Indian influence in Afghanistan ———>
further destabilization of Pakistan from Pakistani religious fundamentalists ———>
increased chance that Pakistan’s nukes fall into the wrong hands.

In her view, Afghanistan is not the issue. Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is.

Trying to balance Mr. Mullen’s and Ms. Rubin’s arguments makes my brain hurt.

Rubin also kept saying that President Obama had “turned on a dime” about Aghanistan. When the interviewer pressed her, she had to admit that he has not, that he appears to be rethinking his strategy and she fears he might withdraw.

Frankly, I want elected leaders who are willing to think about stuff. We’ve seen what the other kind can do.

Follow this link and search the archives for September 24, 2009, Hour One, or listen here (mp3).

End Addendum

(Plus I’d like to see my son come home; he chose the Army so he could pay his student loans, thanks to the First Bush recession. If he doesn’t come back–something I’ve tried to put out of my mind for two tours already but can’t really quite ever–I want it to be for something that fucking makes a Goddamned difference other than foolish national pride that sends good blood after bad for Christ’s sake.)