Sigh... again: this time - Afghanistan

U.S. Officials Offer Dismal Review of War in Afghanistan
National Security Team Says More Troops From NATO Allies Are Necessary
By Craig Whitlock
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, February 8, 2009
MUNICH, Feb. 8 -- President Obama's national security team gave a dire assessment Sunday of the war in Afghanistan, with one member calling it a challenge "much tougher than Iraq" and others hinting that it could take years to turn around.

Again: W - the gift that keeps on giving.
(Alternatively: the virus from which we'll be lucky to recover!)

The Pentagon is urging we forego "nation building" and concentrate on killing bad guys (Pentagon study: US should pare Afghanistan goals).

I'd really like to get the Pentagon OUT of the policy business.
(To that end I in fact yesterday sent a letter to SoS Clinton, urging her to re-assert State's priority in setting foreign policy.)

No - I've no clue the right path forward in Afghanistan... but 7 years into the conflict I'm hoping that SOMEONE is starting to at least ask: "What's our strategic objective?"
If we knew what we were aiming for, it might be easier to hit the target.

W's Harvard Business School studies didn't seem to include the notion of "strategic objectives".
Let's hope someone in Obama's administration has the insight to ask for 'em.
"Excuse me, Mr. President, but... exactly what are we trying to achieve?"

I'm pretty sure that "killing bad guys" isn't the way forward.