In this article, the author outlines the recent debate involving troop deployment to Afghanistan. This time, however; Vice President Joe Biden has now made his voice heard in this struggle. He says that the United States should take its focus off of the Taliban and onto al-Qaeda specifically. He claims that the Taliban is just a group that does not seek power outside Afghanistan and should not be considered a threat to America. The author of the article strongly refutes these claims but points out that even though this idea is ridiculous, it is gaining popularity in Washington, specifically with President Obama. Obama is caught in the middle as he has still not made a decision about adding troops to the forces in Afghanistan. It seems as if he wants to find an option that is more “publicly popular,” specifically more popular with the far left that hates the war.
Even though this debate and Joe Biden’s idea may seem ridiculous, President Obama is the Commander in Chief of the United States Military. He has the final say in the decision that is made. The military authority is calling for more troops, but Obama’s answer is now delayed because he wants to find the “perfect decision” that will not upset anyone so that he can remain popular. With such a pivotal conflict raging in Afghanistan, President Obama should realize that there is no time to sit around and formulate a decision based on what seems popular, but that a decision needs to be made that will help end the threats of both the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. If any hope of a favorable end of the war is in sight, Obama should consider the consequences of withholding troops that could be the decisive force that could win the war in Afghanistan.
*Link to article at the NY Post: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/it_still_the_face_of_an_evil_enemy_lYYXU4Yx3twlzzwM727leK/0
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