President Nero has Stopped Fiddling.....or has he?

President Obama finally announced his decision on Afghanistan after 3 months (1 year?) of dithering.

His plan calls for an Iraq style surge of 30,000 troops who will begin withdrawing in July of 2011.  This apparent setting of a deadline drew a furious response from people like John McCain that announcing a disengagement in advance would embolden the Taliban and give them a tactical advantage.  Of course it should be noted that John McCain is an acknowledged and widely respected expert on military matters.....quite unlike President Obama.

Chastened aides have gone out to the airwaves to say that July of 2011 is only a target and a withdrawal would depend upon "progress" and "stability" in Afghanistan.  Still missing from their vocabulary are words like "victory" and "win."  No doubt a decision on a withdrawal would be drawn out anyways.

The Taliban (and the world) should be told that the surge will last until the Taliban are defeated.  This is the quickest route to an early withdrawal and anyone who has learned the lessons of history would know that.