Dear America,
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (June 13, 2010) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai attends a shura with hundreds of tribal and religious leaders in Kandahar, the core area of Taliban insurgency. The gathering highlighted the need for support of NATO-led forces in order to stabilize parts of the province. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Mark O'Donald/Released) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Have you noticed how quiet Washington D.C. seems lately. No major domestic disputes are grabbing headlines, and likewise, none of the major members of the disloyal minority have reared their ugly heads much either. There is still the effort to vilify the administration in committees here and there, and Obamacare is newly confronting some administrative hurdles, but overall, it is all quiet on the American front. The one thing that interests me in the news for the past week or so is the "0 option" discussion taking place in political circles. Of course there will be politicians trying to take advantage of one side or the other of the argument on the subject so as to advance his lowly little career, but the issue is really quite simple. The American made government in Afghanistan doesn't appreciate us being there. They claim that we are doing more harm than good sometimes, and they refuse to come to terms with us on the subject of keeping a training force in the country after 2014...ten or twelve thousand military men and women charged with continuing the preparation of a primitive military force for modern warfare. And the most recent catch has been the attempts to negotiate some sort of participation in a civil government in Afghanistan with the Taliban, who would prefer the stone age to the modern age. Apparently the Obama administration has accepted the premise that they will not be going away any time soon and has tried to bring them to some kind of agreement using back channels...all to no avail so far, but in addition against the now public howling of the Karzai administration. He and his family--who are imbedded in Afghanistan's economy like ticks--don't want to share power with anyone. So what will we do at the end of 2014 when only that residual force is scheduled to remain in Afghanistan when the terms under which they would remain, including exemption from prosecution for the acts of war that they commit, cannot be resolved? Well, President Obama seems to be thinking that if the Afghani government won't take our help on our terms, they can go it alone: the 0 option, and I agree.
I'm on my way out of town for a summer vacation this weekend, so while I'd like to elaborate about my rationale, including a litany on the subject of Karzai's nepotistic protection of cronies and cousins, I've got to pack, somewhat like congress is doing. We need a little political quiet time anyway. I'll speak to you next week.
Your friend,
Mike
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