Washington’s Afghan Brawl

Washington’s Afghan Brawl – Thomas Rid, Kings of War. (H/T Bernard Finel)

The debate on the pros and cons of Afghanistan is raging inside the Beltway. And it is a bit unsettling.

On the one side are those who say no, America has no national interests in Afghanistan — and yes, it’s a war of choice: let’s leave the hellhole and get out asap. On the other side are those who say yes, our security is on the line and al-Qaeda must be defeated in Afghanistan — and no, it’s a war of necessity: let’s do it seriously and pour in more troops and money. Until it’s fixed, like Iraq.

You’ve seen it. Shrill and loud, some of the contributions. The other side is brandished as “foolish” and “not serious.” Both sides make up straw-men and then mow them down. And don’t look at the reader comments. All that is even more disturbing if you consider that people are dying in this business.

So what should we make of it? As often in verbal fistfights, both sides have a couple of valid points. Let’s block out the shouting and try listening to some of the nuances. I would venture to say that most experts should be able to agree on ten assumptions — some of them are just statements of fact…

Much more at Kings of War.