In 2002, the Taliban in Afghanistan seemed likely to negotiate the surrender of Osama bin Laden to U.S. custody. But President Bush decided that it was more important to make a "democracy" of Iraq.
Six years later, after the loss of thousands of American lives and cost in the billions of taxpayer money, Iraqi "democracy" is indeed in place. Unfortunately, centuries-old hatreds have now resurfaced, with our troops and Iraqi citizens still dying. Nothing has really changed.
Meanwhile, as troops move into Afghanistan from Iraq, bin Laden is still at large, probably still calling the shots. As human losses increase, looks very much like Iraq and very similar to the 10-year Soviet experience.
The president, with a Democratic-controlled Congress and our citizens favoring peace, was supposed to bring hostilities to a speedy close. But instead, sounding more like George W. Bush than the ex-president himself, President Obama has called for troop increases and suggests the possibility of a long occupation of Afghanistan.
As a lifetime Democrat and Obama supporter, whom I hoped might be our all-time best, I am sickened and dismayed.
Pat Stidham
Selma
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