The Afghanistan Mess

October 6, 2009 4:17 PM

I have no quick and easy answers as to the question, "What should we do in Afghanistan." I do have questions, however, ten of them:

1. How many Americans should die for nation-building of an Islamic Republic?

2. Why are we nation-building in an Islamic Republic in the first place?

3. Assuming that the generals are correct that we can suppress the Taliban, as we suppressed Sunni militants in Iraq, how long can we keep them suppressed?

4. Assuming that Iraq is a good model for our military efforts in Afghanistan (I don't assume that), how long do we expect Iraq to remain stable and not revert to militant, dangerous anti-Americanism?

5. Why are we letting Pakistan get away with being a place where Sunni militants can organize attacks against the 50 United States?

6. Why are we letting the Afghan Islamic state get away with being a place where Sunni militants can organize attacks against the 50 United States?

7. Although Obama does not see victory as a goal (too much like "Emperor Hirohito surrendering") who does see victory as a goal, and what would it look like?

8. Whatever happened to Section 8 of the Constitution, which states clearly that it is Congress, not the President, that has the power "To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water?"

9. Why are Americans troops being killed in combat if there is no war to fight worth troubling Congress about?

10. Why do we attempt nation-building before we conquer a nation (yes, conquer) as we did in the case of Japan and Germany in World War II, when we did the nation-building afterwards?