After three months of waiting and debating, President Obama finally announced his conclusions on Tuesday about the future of the campaign in Afghanistan. In all, 30,000 additional US troops are to be deployed, with the balance of what General Stanley McChrystal requested to be supplied by the rest of Nato – an interesting challenge.
At first glance, and perhaps at second glance, this decision is greatly to be welcomed. It is the positive response that those of us who believe in the importance of the Afghan campaign had been hoping for, sending the unambiguous message that the West sees success in Afghanistan as the highest security priority for our fractured international society.
The president's announcement was not met with unequivocal praise, and certainly not universally welcomed among his own Democratic supporters on Capitol Hill, which must set the warning signs flashing. Nevertheless, the die is cast. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has chosen the path of war and set his face on prevailing in a military test of strength in South Asia with the Taliban – the front-line representatives of those who support the extreme militant agenda of al-Qaeda.
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