September 4, 2009

Afghanistan: The Wall Street Journal offensive

By: AF Editors

George Will called for an end to counterinsurgency in Afghanistan, provoking a flood of responses from conservatives. The Wall Street Journal has given their opinions top billing.

Fred Kagan writes that the future of Pakistan depends on Afghanistan. Max Boot reminds us that we already tried to win on the cheap — that’s why it’s such a mess today. Dan Senor and Peter Wehner call on Republicans to support Obama even when the going gets tough. Finally, Michael O’Hanlon and Bruce Riedel talk about what’s going right in Afghanistan. Yes, I know they’re Democrats. But plenty of liberals started denouncing O’Hanlon as a neo-con stooge when he dared suggest (long before it became obvious) that the surge was working in Iraq. And Riedel? Well, he led the review that led Obama to send more troops. If things keep going the way they are, the Democratic left will start talking about him they way they once did about Bob McNamara and Dean Rusk.