VIETNAM SEQUEL? - AT 12:06 P.M. ET:  Democrats in Congress are already balking at sending more troops to Afghanistan.  No matter how you feel about this, or any military strategy, what's building in the Democratic Party is another Vietnam scenario - cut off the aid, make any continuation impossible.    The White House, privately, may actually not be opposed to this.  The president could tell the nation that "my hands were tied."  From Fox News:

WASHINGTON -- Increasing congressional discord over the next U.S. steps in Afghanistan, coupled with a spike in violence there, is deepening the political divide on the war and how many troops are needed to fight it.

Key Senate Democrats signaled Friday that any push by the White House to send more troops to Afghanistan is likely to hit resistance. And their unease was fueled by another bombing, that left as many as 70 dead, including civilians who were killed when the U.S. blew up tanker trucks hijacked by the Taliban.

That deadly U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan Friday complicates the debate over the need for more U.S. troops, bolstering arguments that Afghan leaders must increasingly fend for themselves.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin said the United States must focus more on building Afghanistan's security forces. His cautionary stance was echoed by Sen. Jack Reed, who is also on the committee and spent two days in Afghanistan this week with Levin

COMMENT:  Things are not going well in Afghanistan, and Iraq is iffy.  We have an administration that, while it hasn't pulled out of either place, is not known for its resolve against enemies of the United States.  Resolve in Afghanistan, as an expert recently wrote at Urgent Agenda, would require a major, massive effort and a long-term commitment.  The American people, though, are tired of it all.

About Iraq:  It's not going to be an ally of the U.S.  It's a Muslim country, and I've never seen a Muslim country say "thank you" to anything Americans do.  While getting rid of Saddam Hussein has probably made the region better, and prevented the development of new WMD programs - very worthy goals - our long-term prospects in Iraq are not secure, by any means.

This president has a pile of international problems, and no real strategy.  This week he concentrates on saving his health-care "reform" plan, which he has botched to a very high standard of botching.

September 5, 2009