Opposing Escalation in Afghanistan

The war in Afghanistan is an albatross that risks dragging down the Obama administration and undermining its progressive policy agenda. Afghanistan is now Obama's war, and its failure would be Obama's failure, with disastrous political consequences for other issues. The president's political standing, the Democratic Party's electoral prospects in 2010 and 2012, the government's ability to fund health reform and other social priorities--all will be jeopardized if US policy in Afghanistan continues to falter. Progressives who care about this administration and want it to succeed must rally to protect the president. We must argue for a more effective and less militarized strategy in Afghanistan and work to prevent further military escalation.