James B. Cunningham: “I applaud President Obama's decision to maintain the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan through 2016 and beyond.”

We are in a long-term competition with China over influence in the world.

I do not think there is a strategy of attrition or withdrawal that will work in any timeframe that we would want to see, certainly.

Experience teaches that ideology cannot be defeated militarily, although military force must be an instrument.

I think that, under the circumstances, that timeline is probably too short and the rate of withdrawal is too steep.