There's certainly a lot of hand-wringing these days on both the left and right over the war in Afghanistan. Among Americans, support for the fight is slipping, almost eight years after U.S. forces entered the country.
On the surface, it's understandable: There's little good news in spite of the blood, sweat and tears of our brave troops and others, including U.S. diplomats and civilians, who are often on the front lines, too.
War assessments by policymakers and generals range from "serious" to "dire" to "deteriorating." Some long-term supporters are saying it's time for Uncle Sam to pull up his tent stakes and come home.
So while the Obama administration mulls Afghanistan, it's important for all to remember --especially in the shadow of the eighth anniversary of 9/11 -- that the stakes are still big for us in that remote nation.
Of course, we don't want to turn the country over to the Taliban, which would once again allow al-Qaida to train, plot and set in motion the next 9/11, with us as the likely target.
And, like Iraq, dealing a blow to Islamist extremists in Afghanistan will have a salutary effect well beyond that country, increasing the security of those who find themselves in terrorist cross-hairs.
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