Republican National Chairman Michael Steele has been a very controversial leader of his party, constantly stirring the pot with his statements against the Obama Administration, and also embarrassing himself and others with his commentary on all kinds of issues!
But now, he has really SHOCKED the party and the nation with his statement that the Afghanistan War cannot be won; that it was a war of choice on the part of President Obama; and that history tells us that no one has been able to conquer Afghanistan over the long haul of history!
All of the above are points that the author absolutely agrees with, and has been making the case for, on this blog! Steele is, for once, absolutely correct!
It is nice to see Michael Steele making such a statement, but it already seems clear that he may be somewhat backtracking on it, but possibly too late, as conservative Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard and Fox News Channel has called for his resignation as RNC chair!
But the fact that Steele has gone ahead and made this statement should lead to a reassessment of the historical realities that he so well presents! We lost more soldiers last month than any other in the nine year war, and foreign allies in NATO are also losing more heavily, and with little progress to show for the sacrifices!
There are other ways to fight terrorism than committing our young men and women to an interminable war with no substantial possibility of success over the next few years, if not decades!
Barack Obama is an intelligent, insightful man! It will take courage and principle for him to fight for the end of US involvement on the ground in Afghanistan, but it is an excellent way to cut down the deficit, which so monopolizes political debate in this country, and to address the domestic needs we face!
So this controversy should be seen as an opportunity for a renewed debate about the future of our foreign policy, which is causing a massive debt problem that will burden our children and grandchildren, without any likelihood of any substantial progress!
I, like you, feel the war cannot be won and that we need to withdraw as soon as possible. There are perhaps better ways to fight Al Quada.