In the past few years, we have had terms developed that are used to convey as negative an image as possible. One of these is flip flop. In some cases, this term is descriptive and appropriate. A politician who does not base actions on a solid commitment but on what recent pools say may be said to flip flop. President Obama's trip to Copenhagen could be called a flip flop although a relatively unimportant one.
For you to say the president is flip flopping on sending troops to Afghanistan is unfair. All agree that the situation in Afghanistan is extremely complex. Even in the few months of Obama's presidency, the situation has changed. I hope our president is pragmatic and bases policy on the world as it is, not on some ideology that is out of touch with reality.
We had a president who did not do this and this is the reason we are in the current situation.
Afghanistan has never been a country with a strong central government. For centuries, there have been tribal groups who were ethnically different, spoke different languages and even fought each other. All of these were held together is a loose configuration called Afghanistan. Such a situation is not open to setting up anything even approaching a strong democracy. If we try to bring these groups together under a strong government, we will fail.
I think the president is seeing how little effect we have had as we tried to impose our idea of government on the nation. President Karzai is corrupt and probably inept. He has not been able to put together a strong army to defeat the Taliban and al-Qaeda. The militant Taliban appear strong because the central government is so weak.
What should President Obama do? Strive for a competent Afghan army that can defeat the militant Taliban. Doing this may require sending a few more US troops but strictly to train an all Afghan force. Not all the Taliban are militant and most do not like al-Qaeda, but they dislike foreign intervention even more.
Reach out to the Taliban, especially the less militant ones. If necessary, buy them off by offering more than al-Qaeda or militant Taliban can offer. Work with countries surrounding Afghanistan, even Iran. Most of these countries do not want to have their borders threatened by militant groups. But realize that, whatever we do, we will have a long term commitment, although it will not be military.
I realize that some who read this will be in strong disagreement. I urge you to read a fair but short discussion of two approaches at www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1927095,00.html
But don't accuse the president of flip flopping. Be glad that we have a president who will listen to all parties and then make a decision based on the information he is given, even if he is forced to change his mind based on facts.
