Daily Herald editorial

The 30,000 troops that President Obama plans to withdraw from Afghanistan over the next 15 months are either too many or too few. If America has truly accomplished, or is near accomplishing, its mission in Afghanistan, why a drawdown that still leaves 70,000 Americans at risk? If the mission is not fully accomplished, is reducing the force — and, what is more, announcing the reduction in advance — really a good idea?

In 2009, Obama sent extra troops to Afghanistan to give a boost to the American efforts there. By many accounts, that plan succeeded in helping drive out Taliban and Al Qaeda forces. Yet Americans continue to be wounded and killed there, so clearly the mission is not complete.

All in all, this week’s announced drawdown seems to be more about politics — the timing would coincide nicely with the 2012 election — than about pursuing a wise war strategy. And the real problem, of course, is that after spending 1,500 lives and $440 billion, it’s still not clear that anything permanent is being accomplished in Afghanistan. It’s hard to make political hay out of that reality, a problem that probably led to this week’s middle-of-the-road solution.

Few American politicians have demonstrated much skill at managing war efforts, and President Obama is regrettably in the majority. This week’s announced reduction, while good news for at least some Americans who will avoid service — or extra service — in Afghanistan, goes either too far or not far enough.