Memo to the President RE: Afghanistan

Dear Mr. President,

I'd like to take a moment to address the issue of Afghanistan, since you seem open to considering alternative viewpoints to your own on this issue, unlike your predecessor.

I have grave concerns about further military action in Afghanistan. You ran (at least partly) on a platform of getting us the HELL out of Iraq, which you seem to show little interest in doing. Instead, you seem at least willing to send MORE of our young men and women to die in a foreign land in a struggle that is, ultimately, not ours.

I would also like to ask the questions of you on this issue that I asked your predecessor on Iraq...

1)What is our objective? If we engage in a military action without an objective, then there will be no end.
2)Corollary to that, what constitutes “victory” in Afghanistan? How do we know when we've “won” so that we can go home. You're an intelligent man... if you believe that there is a military solution to terrorism, i'd like to hear your argument.

Afghanistan is a war that SHOULD have been fought eight years ago, Mr. President, when the stated objective was to capture and punish Osama Bin Laden. They failed. Our window of opportunity for that has passed.

Mr. President, I understand and sympathize with your desire for bipartisanship. It is an admirable goal, and one that I share. The problem is that the Republican party has drifted so far into never-never land that you're not making compromises to any kind of intelligent middle-right... instead you are having to drift to the FAR right in order to appease racists who are NEVER going to be appeased by you. No matter HOW far to the right you go, it will never be enough to please them, unless you turn into another George W. Bush.

And I and the other people who voted for you do not want that.

Peace.

Rev. Randal