A Crisis of Leadership

I am no commander. What I know about Afghanistan is what I need to know about Afghanistan. A large majority of Americans are in the same quandary. We can’t intelligently argue about something we know so little about.

However, one thing I do know a little about is human nature, we all do. A piece I read today out of the Times of London isn’t another war report, it’s a morale assessment. It wasn’t about the policy, the strategy, or the number of forces. It’s about the people themselves - the people who defend us and are wiling to die for us.

When you hear our soldiers saying things like “I don’t know why I’m here,” or “We’re lost,” or “the country is going to S***,” you’re legitimately fearful. Forgetting why we’re there, why the situation is bad now, or anything else, when you hear stuff like that you know there’s something wrong.

What I believe the troops lack right now could be blamed on themselves, their commanders, the secretaries at the Pentagon. But overall the buck stops with their commander in chief. The President needs to be a leader now more than ever. At the very least give these people a strategy, some goals, some reason for their sacrifice because right now they don’t have one.

You can lose a hill, a battle, even an entire conflict, but it’s when you lose the hearts and minds of the men and women on the battlefield that you’ve really lost.

To President Obama: if you don’t think the troops can do what is necessary to win-bring them home. If the politics preclude you from continuing this war-bring them home. If you’re only interested in counter-terrorism- order them to do that and take them off the frontlines. However, if you think the troops are able, if this nation must protect itself from another 9-11, and if you think the country has the stomach for it (polls say it does), then you need to order these folks to fight and win. I will be right behind you if you do.

My general principle: when you fight a war, you fight it with everything it takes and win as fast as possible. But if at any time in the middle you decide otherwise you bring them home. It’s immoral to fight any other way. Mr. President, our troops want to you to lead them, so make a decision.