President Trump in a prime-time national address re-committed the United States to war in Afghanistan. Never mind that this directly violates his biggest campaign promise.
In his speech, the president said that we would “fight to win.” He said, “We are not nation-building again. We are killing terrorists.”
The goal will be to reverse the gains made by the Taliban since the U.S. pullback under President Obama. The president will reportedly send 4,000 troops to He 8,400 already there. The President refused to set a deadline for American withdrawal.
Is this a good idea or not?
I’m sure one can make a case for it. But President Trump ran on the promise to keep America and American lives out of these unnecessary wars! He specifically called for our withdrawal from Afghanistan!
This was a big reason many Americans voted for him!
The War in Afghanistan has dragged on for 16 years! That makes it the longest war in American history. And it’s going to get a lot longer. And the costs will go on a lot longer, including who knows how many young lives to add to the 2,386 Americans who have already died in that conflict.
Why should they die for Afghanistan?
We can go back in force and restart the fighting. But when will we know if we have won? When will we know that our troops can come home? I’m sure we will kill a lot of Islamic radicals, but when we leave, they will come out of hiding and be replenished by others who have been radicalized by our being in their country. A conventional military initiative will not end terrorism. Haven’t we learned this?
But, again, say that it can. That was the “neo-conservative” ideology that Trump ran against! The President is breaking his campaign promise. Isn’t this a betrayal of his supporters?
Photo: U.S. Army firefight in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, 31 March 2011, by Pfc. Cameron Boyd – http://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/5619029758/in/photostream/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14941334
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