As public wavers, Obama must weigh new options in Afghanistan
Amelia Wolf
Issue date: 9/15/09 Section: Opinion
Since the inauguration, Obama has been weighing both sides of the issue concerning the Afghan War. The country is divided. Majority opinion supports pulling out of Afghanistan in the near future while the other side, nearly half, believe that it is important to remain in Afghanistan to finish off the war with the possibly of another "surge."
At this point, completely pulling out of Afghanistan does not even seem like the most logical option if you are able to see all factors that contributed to the Afghan War. The intention of entering the Afghan War was to "hunt down the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks," as stated by Helene Cooper, writer for the New York Times. Now motives have changed and are based upon protecting civilians of Afghanistan as well as preventing Afghanistan from becoming a "safe haven for Al Qaeda," as Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, a Republican, stated.
We are not simply there for the purpose of defending American freedom and keeping United States security stable. But now, after starting a war to protect ourselves and the Afghanis, we cannot simply abandon Afghanistan and pray that the people of Afghanistan will be stable and that Al Qaeda will not penetrate.
Another question comes into play. America went into the Afghan War assuming it would be a low casualty and relatively quick war. But after crossing the 5,000 casualty mark for American soldiers, the public has begun to question the truths behind this war. The number of casualties each month has grown in the past year. Also, after eight years of the Afghan War and no end in sight, the public cannot help but to question if this is an endless war, a war that can never be won, a war against "terrorism."
For me, I do not think that terrorism can ever be completely eliminated because terrorism is an idea -- a mind-set and a particular belief system. The ever-looming problem that has always existed is the reality that ideologies are taught and instilled in very different forms to peoples of every culture
At this point, completely pulling out of Afghanistan does not even seem like the most logical option if you are able to see all factors that contributed to the Afghan War. The intention of entering the Afghan War was to "hunt down the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks," as stated by Helene Cooper, writer for the New York Times. Now motives have changed and are based upon protecting civilians of Afghanistan as well as preventing Afghanistan from becoming a "safe haven for Al Qaeda," as Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, a Republican, stated.
We are not simply there for the purpose of defending American freedom and keeping United States security stable. But now, after starting a war to protect ourselves and the Afghanis, we cannot simply abandon Afghanistan and pray that the people of Afghanistan will be stable and that Al Qaeda will not penetrate.
Another question comes into play. America went into the Afghan War assuming it would be a low casualty and relatively quick war. But after crossing the 5,000 casualty mark for American soldiers, the public has begun to question the truths behind this war. The number of casualties each month has grown in the past year. Also, after eight years of the Afghan War and no end in sight, the public cannot help but to question if this is an endless war, a war that can never be won, a war against "terrorism."
For me, I do not think that terrorism can ever be completely eliminated because terrorism is an idea -- a mind-set and a particular belief system. The ever-looming problem that has always existed is the reality that ideologies are taught and instilled in very different forms to peoples of every culture
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