OBAMA RAISES THE AFGHAN STAKES

In a nationally televised address to the nation last night, President Barack Obama took his first steps as Commander-In-Chief to address the ongoing and somewhat forgotten war in Afghanistan.

The President fulfilled a campaign promise to focus on the Afghan war by announcing he will send 30,000 additional troops into the region.  Mr. Obama said the deployment will begin in early 2010 and he intends to only leave the troops there for 18 months, when he will withdraw them.  His approach is to hit the Taliban swiftly and with might, then bring our men and women home without an infinite timetable.  He said he will also begin to withdraw the troops in Iraq at the same time.

The cadets in attendance at the West Point Military Academy event applauded several times throughout the 35 minute speech, apparently in support of their Commander-in-Chief’s decision.  Liberal critics at home are not in support of ANY build up of troops.  But many Republicans are fully behind the President’s policy.  Some believe it was a huge mistake when the U.S. defeated the Taliban in 2001 after only 7 weeks, but then took their eye off the prize by moving efforts to Iraq and Saddam Hussein instead.  Supporters say this is our last opportunity to finally get it right.