WOIFM

It begins: Airstrikes in Afghanistan.

It begins: Airstrikes in Afghanistan. Significantly, the first air drops have included humanitarian supplies such as food and first aid.

I have been thinking about the future of Afghanistan. What happens when the Taliban has been eradicated? Will the United States repeat the mistakes of the past, by abandoning the region to its own misery, or will we repeat the successes of our past, by launchng a reconstruction effort like we did in Japan and Germany after World War II? The potential benefits of such a "Marshall Program" in Asia seem compelling.

First, we can avoid the prospect of Afghanistan becoming once again a safe haven for terrorists. Second, the formation of a U.S.-friendly, democratic state in the region will give us a strategic foothold for our dealings both with the Middle East and with the rest of Asia. A re-built Afghanistan can serve both as a military ally and a trading partner. Third, the Afghan people by and large don't support the Taliban. If we both eliminate the Taliban but also stay behind to clean up the mess, and get the Afghans back on track, they might- just might - be grateful and loyal for it. We can guarantee our continued strategic presence through continued support of Afghan political and economic stability.

The consequences of simply pulling out almost inevitably lead to more warfare against America. That, we cannot allow.