Earl Pomeroy Takes A Principled Stand On Afghanistan
After years of telling us that Afghanistan is the right war and Iraq was the wrong war, liberals seem to be doing an about face these days. With the war in Iraq won, they’re going weak-kneed on Afghanistan. Senators like Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad have come out against committing to winning the war, North Dakota’s lone Representative is holding his own on the issue.
And good on him for it.
(WDAZ TV) - A North Dakota lawmaker says pulling troops out of the Middle East would be dangerous. Congressman Earl Pomeroy says answers in Afghanistan may lie in how troops handled situations in Iraq.
After the 2001 initial invasion on Afghanistan following 9-11, much of the U.S. military focus shifted to Iraq. Meanwhile, the Taliban and Al Queda were rebuilding. Today, President Obama is faced with the decision of sending more troops or even working with the Taliban.
“We think our role is to help Afghanistan provide their security.”
Congressman Pomeroy says the question is how many troops should go and is the risk worth it?
“Afghanistan was just left to drift, and in the meantime warlords, poppy production, and Taliban and Al Queda safe havens. It all just went to pieces on us.”
Pomeroy makes a good point. When we focused on winning the war in Iraq the war in Afghanistan was given short shrift. Nobody paid attention. Nobody even really talked about it.
But now, with the Iraq war won, we can focus on Afghanistan. And as Rep. Pomeroy points out, we can probably win in Afghanistan by making the same commitment there that we made in Iraq. And believe me, winning in Afghanistan is a much preferable outcome to packing up and coming home.
Or making a deal with the devil in the name of political expediency, which seems to be Obama’s preferred solution.
