August 26, 2010
President Obama's announced decision to begin withdrawing American forces from Afghanistan in July of next year has given a morale boost to the Taliban. That's what the soon to be retiring commandant of the Marine Corps said in an interview.
General James Conway is right, of course. You don't tell your enemy when you are quitting. You don't pull out before victory, or at least stability, is achieved.
General Conway says enemy communications have been intercepted which seek to encourage Taliban fighters to hang in there because American and NATO forces will soon be gone and they can re-take Afghanistan.
If that happens, all of the blood, lives, and money devoted to eradicating or at least diminishing those responsible for 9-11 will have been for nothing. Does President Obama want that for his legacy?
This war is hard, but if we don't prevail, what comes next will be even harder for us.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
