The Washington Post‘s Walter Pincus writes (8/9/09)(under the headline “Analysts Expect Long-Term, Costly U.S. Campaign in Afghanistan”) that “military experts are warning that the United States is taking on security and political commitments that will last at least a decade and a cost that will probably eclipse that of the Iraq War.”
What follows is about what you’d expect: Various pro-war analysts giving their views on how best to wage war there. But perhaps the most telling part comes early on, when Pincus writes: “Military experts insist that the additional resources are necessary. But many, including some advising [Gen. Stanley A.] McChrystal, say they fear the public has not been made aware of the significant commitments that come with Washington’s new policies.”
The public is aware of the Afghan War, of course–and they don’t like it, according to the most recent polls. Thus, official Washington must present escalation of that war as a simple matter of fact–not something the public can debate or really do anything about. It’s rather difficult to imagine the Post publishing a piece detailing the arguments of those opposed to escalating the war in Afghanistan; there is a more pressing need for the public to be “made aware” of the need for escalation.
