Wall Street Not The Only Crisis Spot

Gen. McKiernan

While the nation is concentrated on the proposed bailout of Wall Street its attention is diverted from another crisis that has been brewing for some time. This one, on the battlegrounds of Afghanistan.

There has been a renewed insurgency in Afghanistan. The safe haven the Taliban and al Qaeda has found in northern Pakistan has proven problematic as well.

Many of us feel that the war in Iraq diverted the military’s attention from the real enemy, concentrated in Afghanistan. Now the top U.S. military commander there is, in essence, echoing those concerns.

Gen. David McKiernan is making an urgent public plea for more troops and resources in Afghanistan. His comments came during a briefing with Pentagon reporters.

How sad it is that the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, responsible for the prosecution of the war against the true terrorists who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, responsible for the safety and well being of U.S. and, by extension, NATO troops in country, has to resort to a public plea for help.

His commander-in-chief, President Bush, has, obviously, been asleep at the switch here. It’s increasingly clear that Bush has no vision of his own. That there are others in the administration, most likely led by the elusive Vice-President Dick Cheney, who are telling him what to do and what to say.

Apparently, Cheney and his cronies are far more concerned with Iraq than they are with the true battle ground – Afghanistan.