Lynn C. Woolsey: “After more than 9 years of the war in Afghanistan and a troop surge that supposedly was going to turn the tide, all we…”

“After more than 9 years of the war in Afghanistan and a troop surge that supposedly was going to turn the tide, all we have are modest gains that are fragile and reversible. For the price of $377 billion, the lives of 1,400 brave Americans, that's it? We need to hear more than 'the challenges are tough and there are difficult days ahead.' We need to hear more than 'stay the course' platitudes that do little to eliminate the situation for the American people who are footing the bill. Columnist Eugene Robinson assessed the review this way: 'The good news is that President Obama's strategy in Afghanistan is 'on track.' The bad news is that the track runs in a circle.' Round and round on that track we go, Madam Speaker. More of our finest young people thrown into harm's way, more dollars flying out of the Treasury, more of our global credibility destroyed. And because the track runs in a circle, we always seem to wind up in the same place--no closer to defeating the terrorists, no progress made on key national security objectives. Here are some unvarnished facts you didn't hear emphasized in the Afghanistan review: Casualties are rising to record-setting levels. The Taliban remains not just viable but robust, while Afghan governance remains ineffective at best, corrupt at worst. Hamid Karzai remains an unreliable loose cannon, lashing out-- according to one report--that he'd choose the Taliban over the United States and the international community.”