Since the inauguration, Obama has been weighing both sides of the issue concerning the Afghan War. The country is divided. Majority opinion supports pulling out of Afghanistan in the near future while the other side, nearly half, believe that it is important to remain in Afghanistan to finish off the war with the possibly of another "surge."
At this point, completely pulling out of Afghanistan does not even seem like the most logical option if you are able to see all factors that contributed to the Afghan War. The intention of entering the Afghan War was to "hunt down the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks," as stated by Helene Cooper, writer for the New York Times. Now motives have changed and are based upon protecting civilians of Afghanistan as well as preventing Afghanistan from becoming a "safe haven for Al Qaeda," as Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, a Republican, stated.
We are not simply there for the purpose of defending American freedom and keeping United States security stable. But now, after starting a war to protect ourselves and the Afghanis, we cannot simply abandon Afghanistan and pray that the people of Afghanistan will be stable and that Al Qaeda will not penetrate.
Another question comes into play. America went into the Afghan War assuming it would be a low casualty and relatively quick war. But after crossing the 5,000 casualty mark for American soldiers, the public has begun to question the truths behind this war. The number of casualties each month has grown in the past year. Also, after eight years of the Afghan War and no end in sight, the public cannot help but to question if this is an endless war, a war that can never be won, a war against "terrorism." For me, I do not think that terrorism can ever be completely eliminated because terrorism is an idea -- a mind-set and a particular belief system. The ever-looming problem that has always existed is the reality that ideologies are taught and instilled in very different forms to peoples of every culture Is the result of this realization the question: Is this an endless war?
It may be. But, unfortunately, we did start the war and now we are left with the consequences. If we pull out, Al Qaeda may grow strong again, civilian deaths in Afghanistan may sky rocket, terrorist plots against the United States will gain the opportunity to be planned safely and logically thought out. Is that something we want? Is that something we can put at risk? While Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, in charge of American and NATO troops in Afghanistan, has not yet made a request for additional troops, he has made it clear that such a request will most likely be made within a few weeks. If the general who is leading the troops on the battlefront in Afghanistan thinks that we need more troops to protect our country and our soldiers, then certainly there must be a legitimate reason. Obama would not even think about sending troops if it were not necessary because it is not what he believes -- and he does not want to loose the trust of Americans.
We must remember that Obama did not necessarily support the fundamentals behind this war but he was put in the position to finish it. We know he is the type of president that does not believe we should have troops in Afghanistan but we must trust that he will do what is right for the country. There is no benefit for President Obama to keep troops in Afghanistan, but he is putting the safety of our country first.
For Former President George W. Bush, he had many benefits to declaring war, including raising American patriotism, the idea of defeating Al Qaeda, showing the power of America and showing that America will defend itself when a crisis such as 9/11 hits our home front. President Obama was brought into office with a difficult decision awaiting him. Now, he must choose what is best for the safety of America and the civilians of Afghanistan.
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