Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Still the Good-ish War?

President Obama has lessened the scope of our virtual abandonment of Afghanistan:

President Obama decided in recent weeks to authorize a more expansive mission for the military in Afghanistan in 2015 than originally planned, a move that ensures American troops will have a direct role in fighting in the war-ravaged country for at least another year.

Mr. Obama’s order allows American forces to carry out missions against the Taliban and other militant groups threatening American troops or the Afghan government, a broader mission than the president described to the public earlier this year, according to several administration, military and congressional officials with knowledge of the decision. The new authorization also allows American jets, bombers and drones to support Afghan troops on combat missions.

Good. Perhaps the need to send our troops back into Iraq to reverse the result of leaving too early has finally seeped into the discussion of leaving Afghanistan too early.

Now he just has to change 2016 and the ending of direct support for Afghanistan that year.

And to think this was once the "good war" for our left.