Op Ed: War On Terror: Winning In Afghanistan

Op-Ed

The decision over what action to take in Afghanistan has moved from the halls of the Pentagon to front pages of newspapers across the country. Instead of strategy being debated by generals and military experts in the White House Situation Room, cable news pundits have turned it into a war of words.

But this battle can't be broken into sound bites.

I am hopeful that the President will ultimately put his faith in the military leaders in the field and follow their recommendations. They have looked the enemy in the eye and know best how to defeat him.

It is clear from General Stanley McChrystal's assessment of the situation in Afghanistan that additional troops are needed to effectively counter the insurgency.

General McChrystal should testify before Congress -- and the American people -- and personally deliver his opinions on how to effectively implement the counterinsurgency strategy -- the same strategy President Obama announced in March.

We owe it to the men and women of our Armed Forces to get this right and provide them with the resources they need to succeed in their mission.

I believe that the terrorists will not end their pursuit to destroy the freedoms we believe in, and we must not end our efforts to stop them from achieving their goal. One of the primary ways we can squash terrorist organizations is through the creation of a stable Middle East. And unless we achieve our objectives in Afghanistan, we'll be hard pressed to see any sort of peace in the region. Pulling our troops out before the mission is accomplished opens the door for the terrorists to regain their footing.

The months ahead will not be easy, but our involvement in Afghanistan must remain clear in its purpose of helping to establish a secure and legitimate Afghani government. Failure is not an option, and I am supportive of measures to provide for the safety and security of our nation.

While the decision to send troops abroad is one that I do not take lightly, I am a firm believer that we must prevent Afghanistan from slipping back into the hands of the Taliban and deny Al Qaeda a safe haven to plan future attacks against America and our allies.

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