Afghanistanism Takes on New Meaning

Tonight President Obama is going to outline his plans for some type of troop draw-down in Afghanistan. For many of us the thought will be it is about time and for many of those the conclusion is likely to be "too little and almost too late."

Years ago when I was learning about some of the principles of journalism there were instructors who were on the soap box of local news and local opinion as a way to make newspaper more relevant. The term Afghanistanism was an unflattering term for editorials that took on issues so far away from the local people that the writer could be emotional - hard hitting -- vehement in his call to action. He could be that way because it was an issue too far away. That same editor would seldom take on the local political establishment or the the local hot-button issue. Those were some of the things separating good papers from fish wraps.

Unfortunately, we now find ourselves in the middle of Afghanistan with thousands of Marines and other combat troops and the issue is very real for Americans. Kabul is now a very real place. When the President talks tonight he is going to be addressing life and death issues with the American public.

I am longing for the time that Afghanistan was only the answer to some obscure Jeopardy question and not one of central problems of American foreign and domestic policy. I wish the President would take the unpopular road and pull most of the troops from garrison duty and put in forces like SWAT teams that can be deployed when required for a specific mission and then pulled back. The people in Afghanistan have never liked foreigners invading their land and it might be amazing to see what would happen if they were fighting their own battles. The President accomplished the major mission -- We got Bin Laden. We can leave with heads held high!