As the War Turns

Today our President announced his plan to increase troops in Afghanistan by 30,000 soldiers- totaling over 100,000 troops fighting the extremist Afghanistan’s who hate America. All in the name of safety for American civilians.

As conservative and liberals all weigh in on President Obama’s decision, I can’t help but think about what everyone would say if Obama were to announce the opposite strategy:

“Today, I announce the withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan within the next six months- we will turn our focus to American’s at home and use our resources to better the lives of the people living and struggling in this great country. We will continue to promote the stability of the Afghan government but the toll this war has taken on our country has been immeasurable and has to come to an end.”

My words are not as eloquent or suave as President Obama’s might have been- maybe cheers would have filled Westpoint, as relieved soldiers hugged their families knowing that they will not be put in harms way against an unclear enemy in a corrupt nation. Maybe they could start to think about their lives finally continuing, not being afraid of even their own comrades turning on them or their fellow soldiers turning on themselves.

This is not what happened- instead the American people get AT LEAST two more years of American flag draped coffins, staggering numbers of soldier suicide, fear, and a room full on droopy eyed young adults having to call their loved ones and say they love them and goodbye for what could be the last time. All for the fear that if this is not done that America is vulnerable to another attack like the one we all experienced on 9/11.

Does this also mean two more years of unfathomably climbing debt? Two more years of increasing job loss? Two more years of American hunger, disease, under education, and strife?

And what if it doesn’t work? What if 2011 comes and goes with American soldiers still fighting and dying? What if this great nation continues to collapse onto its self and dig its self into a hole we can not climb out of? Worst yet- what if we ARE attacked and we only have 20,000 troops here in America to help?

We will have FIVE TIMES more troops on our offensive line than we will on our defensive line- and this makes us some how less vulnerable to attack- less likely to live in fear- more prepared to fight?

With so many questions and less answers- Obama is acting more like a pastor asking us all to drink his special blend of cool aid. (Now that might be extreme but it was the best example I could come up with, bear with me)

FAITH- have FAITH cries Obama- BELIEVE what I say- I KNOW I am making the right decision-

Not that any of us really have a say- not like anything we could do would change his mind and find a way to not be at war any more. Flex our intellectual strength, create a strong display of scientific discovery, show mortality rates increase and literacy becoming wide spread.

So now the American people have to believe in this, very un’CHANGE’d, decision that I could see John McCain or former President Bush making. This is NOT the Change I believe in.

But I’m an American and he is our President. We’re continuing this war in hopes that it will stabilize an unstabilizable nation, bring Afghanistan to a place where we could leave and not feel guilty about being there is the first place. Bring our troops home to a nation not in turmoil- a nation prospering and offering education and job opportunity. By the end of President Obama’s first term, we will look back on this decision (as we do now about the Iraq surge) and know it was for the better and that we are not only safer but better off having sent more troops to Afghanistan.

Somehow, I’m still afraid for the people of America- not from foreign attack but from spontaneously imploding onto ourselves- and Obama being blamed.

He’s a good person, a good president between a rock and a hard place- and that’s where he remains with this decision- stuck…