Deep Divisions

" Reports out today that president Obama's ambassador to Afghanistan is pushing back hard against the president's plan to send more troops. Underlining some deep divisions over the war within his own administration. General Karl I can -- a former commander of US forces in Afghanistan is now the ambassador to that country. He is expressing strong reservations about a possible troop build up and raising deep concerns. About the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. At the same time President Obama is telling his national security team to come up with some alternative choices after rejecting the four options already put forward to him. Let's talk about it would Aaron Miller he served at the State Department as a policy adviser to six secretaries of state. It's interesting to me -- that that mr. Obama received this advice from members of his own administration. And yet has rejected -- he wants some more fine tuning some more tweaking we don't know exactly what's in there but what does that say -- you about the process here."

" It says to me that before America tries to project its military or political power this time around it needs to think very carefully in and very deliberately about what its goals are. And what are the best means to achieve them you know the old expression John if you don't know where you're going any road will take you there. And that's the real problem it seems to me particularly after Iraq you know we occupied Japan for seven years between 1945 -- 1952. You -- Americans were killed in hostile actions on the part of the Japanese on the Japanese mainland during that seven year period none. So the real question is to think about the projection of American military force. And what the cost you're going to be an I would argue to you that if you got a guy I can -- retired lieutenant general. Who's the ambassador to -- who knows Karzai. Who knows the problems of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency. And he's telling you to basically say look. Take your time be patient. You've got to listen to the guy you really do. What about the critics though who say that the president is dithering. He announced back in March I believe it was that that this was his new Afghanistan policy he -- in the additional forces and now he seems to be rethinking all of that. Well his problem is that during the campaign. And subsequently. He basically establish the fact that Afghanistan was kind of the good war in Iraq was the bad war. And use the term -- necessities so he's -- they're publicly. In committing the United States to war of national interest based on our national interest in Afghanistan. Now the question becomes. How -- achieve. The objectives. Hot it would ensure that you've got an exit strategy. In a way that what will also garnered domestic public opinion because we're guns of the options that are chosen. The big option a medium option of a minimum option. We're gonna be in Afghanistan for a very long time and thinking through how best to conduct ourselves there. Is better pay me now or pay me later. So the deliberation it seems to me is important. Necessary. And wise well obviously we don't want to duplicate what the Russians. Did they invaded Afghanistan I mean it it was it was a different reason for going in there. But they invaded stayed for awhile and basically got their tails kicked -- left the country in worse shape. -- it was when they got there we don't want to be seen as having done that same kind of thing so -- William -- we don't. We don't we avoided in part by trying to identify exactly what it is we wanna which -- Is this counterinsurgency. We trying to defeat the Afghan tell about well should we counter or ticket is -- well our question answer. Well if that's the objective then you need to do two or three other things which may not be achievable number one you have to control the borders. Number two you need a tremendous number of American forces on the ground over prolonged period of time not just in the population centers but in the countryside and number three. And this perhaps is the most important issue you -- a credible legitimate and authoritative central government. And this to me I I think we are in an investment trap we're not gonna transform mr. -- and we're not gonna make him into a a Democrat with a big deal or a small piece he's not gonna fundamentally change is behavior we're gonna stop the drug trade. My my my take on this is very very simple and it may be wrong. You organizing principle the nation's foreign policies to protect your home and -- can't protect your homeland you don't need a foreign policy. 9/11 was the second bloodiest day in American history. Exceeded only by one of the days and battle of Antietam in September of of 1862. Our objective in Afghanistan. Is to prevent Afghanistan. From becoming -- staging area to launch. Attacks against the continent United States it's not to build a new nation. It's not too. Have a transformative effect on another hopeless situation in pockets -- It is to protect the United States and I would I would argue we need to think through very carefully and clearly. What kind of resource as we need to do that we do not want an investment trap -- twenty or thirty year period. With a 100000 American forces on the ground I don't believe that is required. Two to achieve that objective Erin Miller thank you. You're welcome to."