‘Flawed logic’

President Barack Obama, speaking before the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, announced that he intends to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. He mentioned “national security” interest for the U.S. nine times, but said the U.S. will withdraw in 18 months.

In a news media briefing before Obama’s speech, the White House press office told reporters that the U.S. goal in Afghanistan is “to prevent the return of … al-Qaida and to prevent the Taliban from overthrowing the Afghan government.”

Will publicly announcing the withdrawal date simply encourage insurgents to lay down their arms and wait?

This just doesn’t make sense.

While Obama announced that he is simultaneously escalating the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan and setting a starting date for withdrawal, this will certainly cause divisions within his administration and Congress.

Interestingly, he did not mention that he has already ordered 3,000 U.S. Marines to Afghanistan by the end of this month.

There is flawed logic in announcing vital security interest to the U.S., and then saying it is only in our vital interest for the next 18 months.

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