Addendum to Iraqi Victory and Global Warming: Afghanistan and the North Pole

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Can't believe I didn't include this in the previous post about the "proclaimed" victory in Iraq.

I wonder if Jeff caught this on the front page of the globe today?

Afghan plan adds 4,000 US troops
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/03/27/afghan_plan_adds_4000_us_troops/

So when I say that Jeff Jacoby focuses on smaller details rather then the larger picture when it comes to either climate change or "victory" in Iraq, this is another good example.

Did Jeff conveniently forget about how bad Mr. Bush screwed up Afghanistan. Aside from what people are reading in the papers these days, history wonks know that even back in 2001, we had a real plan for defeating the Taliban and keeping them out of power. Instead, the "Generals on the ground" (as the conservatives like to say) and the CIA operatives on the ground were NOT listened to and the Pentagon shifted gears. They stopped pursuing Bin Laden, they shifted troops to Iraq (where there were more buildings and things to blow up - I kid you not) and lo and behold, Afghanistan has been slipping away ever since. But Bush couldn't do anything about it because that would have meant admitting things weren't going so well and hadn't for a while. Now it is up to Obama to try to clean it up, and frankly, I don't know if he can. The Taliban has become so entrenched now anything short of a detente may be impossible.

Sounds like Victory in Asia to me Jeff.

Oh, by the way, anyone read about the political conflicts in the North Pole? The Russians, Canadians, and the US are chomping at the bit for drilling rights to all the ocean that is opening up - DUE TO THE MELTING OF THE ICE AND GLOBAL WARMING.

But you're right Jeff. Lets shout about how last years average temperature went down a bit instead of up. (actually I'm sure his next column will be about the benefits of global warming given all the new oil we'll be getting as a result)