EDITORIAL: Obama is right to get tough on Afghanistan

President Barack Obama campaigned on the promise of bringing troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq as soon as possible. He was elected because war-weary Americans have grown tired of spending money overseas with a recession devastating the homefront.

The reality of the circumstances in Afghanistan have forced the president to change his mind about the immediacy of withdrawing forces.

With the security of this country at stake as a result of terrorist activity, Obama has committed 30,000 troops and at least $30 billion a year to a surge strategy aimed at wiping out the Taliban and turning over security to the Afghan government by 2011.

Critics in both parties have been pouncing on Obama for his decision, with Republicans saying he waited too long and Democrats saying we’re going to be bogged down in a hopeless situation.
We think the president made the right decision, despite the political consequences.

A U.S. failure in Afghanistan would be catastrophic. It would embolden the Taliban and other terrorists and immediately threaten the security of Pakistan and India, both nuclear powers in the region.

Obama’s plan protects us from potential terrorist attacks and provides a timeline for some withdrawals. Obama said in his speech Tuesday night he hopes the surge-and-exit strategy will result in troops coming home in July 2011, and we hope voters hold him to his word.

“It is important to recall why America and our allies were compelled to fight a war in Afghanistan in the first place,” Obama said solemnly in his nationally televised speech. “We did not ask for this fight.
On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 men hijacked four airplanes and used them to murder nearly 3,000 people. They struck at our military and economic nerve centers. They took the lives of innocent men, women and children.”

The reason for American involvement is understandable. But Obama waited until results of the Afghan election were clear until announcing his strategy. He met with military advisors and political leaders in crafting his decision.

“This review is now complete,” he said. “And as commander in chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home.

“These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan,” he added.

The biggest problem will not be the performance of the American military. It will accomplish its mission. The men and women who are serving will do so heroically and honorably. We should never forget their personal sacrifice.

The complications will come in training Afghan soldiers to take control when we leave. The Afghan military and police force will continue to be weak without substantial increase in forces. And Afghan President Hamid Karzai hardly inspires confidence.

We support Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s push to increase the Afghan army and police force to 400,000 from just more than 200,000. Without it, we’re worried U.S. troops will have to stay far beyond 2011.

As we watched Obama’s speech, the war in Afghanistan seemed far, far away. The country is in one of the most remote places on earth. Despite the distance, we cannot become complacent and think we can turn a blind eye to the Taliban.

Obama did not want this war when he campaigned for the White House. He was sure he could extract Americans from this mess. It’s not as easy as he thought.

The president’s decision to get tough is the fastest way to accomplish the mission and bring our brave men and women home.

— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).