A 20th anniversary and a warning to Obama

Russian reader Sanjuro writes:

. . . it is now exactly 20 years since Soviet troops started withdrawing from Afhganistan (shortly after operation Typhoon). Sort of symbolic that this year the US will start pumping up its presence to "put an end" to fighting there. And it's kinda symbolic that essentially the US will have to "put an end" to something they largely created through proxies.

I was never comfortable with the instance made by Obama during the campaign that what the situation in Afghanistan calls for is more US troops.

Western leaders arguing for an increased Western military presence in Afghanistan owe it to their own people and the Afghans to clearly state their objectives. Any and all Western goals for Afghanistan should be reasonably attainable.

Photo: Shows the Soviet army withdrawing from Afghanistan in 1989. By contrast, in 2009 the West know exactly what its doing over there. . . .