Sometimes War Just Doesn't Make Sense.

I hate to talk about this, but I'm concerned for all our people in Afghanistan. Instances of Afghan security people suddenly turning on their American counterparts, what appears to be increased bombings, Instances of Americans burning the Quran, purportedly urinating on dead Taliban militants and now a soldier killing 16 Afghans in their sleep, door to door. All these things are explainable, by themselves, as isolated and unfortunate side effects of such an extended war. But that's just the problem. The war has gone on too long. There's far too much battle fatigue, on both sides. People's instincts for good and what's right are breaking down. The thing is, the longer the war continues, the more of our people will die or suffer injuries. But the thing is, the longer this war continues the more of our people will bring these breakdowns of instinct, home with them. Is there a real, justifiable reason for us to continue to remain where we're unwanted, fighting people we can't defeat because they melt into the population at large? We're talking about anther two years. Exactly what will we accomplish in the next two years that we were unable to accomplish in the last ten years? There's a well thought out theory that says you cannot defeat an enemy if the people of their homeland, the populace, can't be convinced you're trying to improver their lives. If we can't win over the hearts and minds of the population of Afghanistan, how in the world can we win that war? Do some Afghans side with us? Of course. Do many wish we could be successful? Of course. Is the whole country with us? More and more, I fear not. This started out as a justified war against those who attacked us without warning. We have succeeded in that phase of the war with the death of Osama BinLaden. Is that war over? Not yet, but it no longer centers in Afghanistan. It's no longer a war that can be fought by massed armies or shock and awe. It's going to have to be fought like our enemies fight. That's something we can do, but we have to accept it and move to do it. We may need tighter defense at home. We need to be able to move quickly and quietly to where the enemy hides. Armies can't do that. It's time to bring our Armies home from Afghanistan and be ready to strike again in Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world if necessary. I think our leaders know this. I think our military knows this. It's time for them to act like they know it.