| President Obama announced this week (December | | | | But he did say the combat troops should be coming |
| 2009) that he is sending 30,000 more military troops | | | | home then. |
| to Afghanistan as soon as possible. He made this | | | | That decision comes with a lot of pros and cons. On |
| announcement at West Point, (the Army Academy, | | | | the positive side, knowing the specific timetable gives |
| whose official name is the United States Military | | | | the entire process a sense of urgency, and will help |
| Academy.) | | | | the government and people of Afghanistan |
| The President was extremely articulate, eloquent, | | | | understand that the U.S. (big brother) won't be their |
| and convincing. Of course this is not surprising, as | | | | protector for long, and that they need to quickly |
| President Obama is an extremely talented public | | | | learn from us what to do to stabilize their country. It |
| speaker. I've always enjoyed listening to him. This | | | | also reassures the skeptics here in the U.S. and |
| time was no different, and his decision to put more | | | | abroad that this is not an abyss with no end in sight. |
| troops into Afghanistan was well received by the | | | | The downside of announcing a specific timetable to |
| audience at West Point, and by the world at large. | | | | withdraw combat forces is that it essentially informs |
| The United Nations and the NATO alliance have | | | | the enemy of your game plan. It lets them know |
| already expressed their agreement and support for | | | | that all they should really do for the next 18 months |
| the President's strategic direction. Of course there | | | | is "soften up their stance," merge and blend in with |
| are many who oppose this war in any form, but | | | | the locals, or even just hide out in caves... Then, |
| hopefully those people will see that the President is | | | | when the U.S. combat troops have pulled back, |
| trying to bring the conflict to a successful resolution | | | | simply come back out of hiding and take the |
| as quickly as possible, without jeopardizing our | | | | offensive. |
| security. | | | | In the end, when weighing at the pros and the cons, |
| The interesting thing about the President's | | | | it seems to me that more good comes out of this |
| announcement was that it also included a specific | | | | than the downside of the enemy knowing the |
| timetable for the withdrawal of our troops and the | | | | withdrawal timeline. It is a difficult decision to make, |
| end of the combat mission. The build up surge is | | | | and one that obviously required a lot of thought, due |
| supposed to start as soon as possible, but then 18 | | | | diligence, and study. I believe the President made the |
| months later, in July 2011, the mission should | | | | right call on the troop surge, and on announcing the |
| conclude, and the combat troops should be coming | | | | withdrawal timetable. Of course, time will end up |
| home. Note that he did not say that ALL American | | | | telling us if he made the right decision or not. Let us |
| troops will come home... We're going to have a | | | | all do what we can to help ensure that he did! |
| military presence in Afghanistan for a very long time. | | | | |