Commentary: Mr. President, take your time on Afghanistan
Joseph L. Galloway
Friday, November 13, 2009
The word is that none of the options contains what the president wants to see — an estimate of how many more years beyond the eight already invested would be needed and an exit strategy.
Bravo!
Simple question and a vital requirement: How much longer will it take, and how do we get out when that time is up?
Let's call that Military Planning 101 and, like the president, we're left to ponder why that basic first step in committing a nation and its military and its treasury to a war wasn't taken before now and was missing from all the alternatives offered at this critical junction in a war that's now in its ninth year?
Phi Beta Iota: The commentary–and we just noticed McClatchy uses the motto “Truth to Power” which earns them a link from Professional Sites–is worth reading in its entirely. Now here is what is NOT in the post:
1. Military Planning 101 demands that Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Yemen, and all 750 of our overseas bases, be evaluated as a whole.
2. Military Planning 101 cannot be done until Strategy 101 has been completed, followed by Whole of Government Planning, Programming, and Budgeting 101.
