The Compass

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Winning in Afghanistan

Writing in the Washington Post, Anne Applebaum wonders whether America would be willing to "pay the high cost of victory" in Afghanistan.

I say: It depends. If advocates of a prolonged Western nation-building effort would forcefully make the case for what security gains a victory would deliver. Would it impede terror cells in Europe? Would it diminish the allure of radical Islam around the world? We're being asked to pour a significant amount of resources into Afghanistan ostensibly on the grounds that doing so would bolster American security. Tell us what we'd win.