Commentary: Why We Cannot Leave
Afghan commandos, a budding force. (Defenselink)
The death of Osama bin Laden has given those against the war in Afghanistan renewed vigor in their push to withdraw all American forces from the country. In addition to driving al-Qaeda and their Taliban hosts into Pakistan, the United States has knocked off their heretofore invincible leader and financial patron.
Having sufficiently crippled al-Qaeda, the Americans can load up the MRAPS and leave the future of the country to be fought over in the snake pit of Afghan politics. These two reasons (the relocation of al-Qaeda and the internal character of the conflict) are sufficient cause for, as Leslie Gelb puts it in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal , the United States to declare “Mission Accomplished” and head home.