Abstract

The U.S. war in Afghanistan started off with rousing optimism in the fall of 2001, but by the end of the decade has devolved into a quagmire for U. S. troops and potential disaster for the Afghan people. For all its twists and turns, it has had one striking constant—nearly every decision made by Western policymakers and Afghan leaders in fighting it has been the wrong one. It’s high time for the United States to recognize its own limitations in Afghanistan and seek a solution that is not perfect but that is realistic and achievable. The moment cries for leadership and a demand that the nation’s generals get with the president’s program. After nine years of the West’s making poor decisions, Obama has a rare opportunity to make a right one. He cannot afford to let it pass him or the United States by.

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