awaited: US President Barack Obama will authorize an increase in American troops in Afghnistan by 30,000 soldiers, most of whom are to be deployed in areas where the US military is stretched thin and the Taliban insurgents are largely in control. It is a risky move on the part of the new president who inherited the eight-year war from his predecessor who largely abandoned the effort in its ill-advised foray into Iraq. From the beginning, Obama argued that the real war on terrorism would have to be fought in Afghanistan and that it is imperative that the world intervene to keep the Taliban and their Al-Qaeda allies out of power there. After eight years, however, even US military officials harbor doubts about the outcome of the war. Those who advocate staying in Afghanistan and pushing for victory maintained that even more than the 30,000 solider increase would be necessary to turn the effort around. The US, like other nations, has committed numerous miscues in its relationship with a country that has proven itself to be largely ungovernable and certain unconquerable by outside powers. In the fanaticism of the Cold War days, the US armed extremists as a way of preventing the Russians from settling in. That strategy was largely successful but then the US walked away from the country, leaving the extremists to develop into the Taliban and govern with such an iron fist that all civilized peoples found their behavior abominable. Once the Taliban allowed Osama Bin Laden to take up residence in Afghanistan, the course was set for 9/11 and its aftermath. While the US bore the brunt of Taliban fanaticism, the rest of the world should be aware that it is to no one's advantage for the Taliban to assume power once again. Europe, especially, should be well aware that an American failure in Afghanistan will leave it extremely vulnerable to Al-Qaeda terrorism. Afghanistan is an expensive and increasingly unpopular war in the West but the security of the future hinges on success there. __
