Theoretical: Obama announces withdrawal from Afghanistan, how to frame it

[steve2470]

A theoretical situation: Let's say Obama decides to announce that we are leaving Afghanistan in a responsible fashion, within a few years. How does he and the Democratic Party frame the decision, to rebut the inevitable blowback from the right wing that "Obama lost the war" and "Obama gave in to the terrorists", etc ?

I don't envy Obama one bit. Either decision carries huge risks.

[backscatter712]

1. Declare victory.

Say that Al Qaeda has been spanked in Afghanistan, and now we can continue to fight terrorism without the need for expensive military occupations.

[MisterP]

2. how exactly is "within a few years" "responsible"? n/t

[steve2470]

4. Responsible = gradual phased withdrawal

I have no clue how long it would take. I'm guessing at least one year. I used the word "responsible" because that seems to be the best political buzzword for our current Iraq drawdown.

[polichick]

3. Emphasize our lessons from the past - not wanting to get into a quagmire...

...like Viet Nam. Talk about shoring up our border and port security.

[timeforpeace]

5. Having loudly declared Afghanistan the "right war", there is no way out now.

[Davis_X_Machina]

7. Nixon got out of a war in '73/'74....

....that he was claiming was essential to our national security during the '72 election.

I think a.) Obama's that good a politician and b.) the nation will turn on a dime again. In both cases the economy was in the crapper and people had bigger fish to fry at home.

How do you say 'Vietnamization' in Pashto?

[Gman]

6. We don't get out of Afghanistan until we do what Bush failed to do

Bush let Bin Laden go at Tora Bora. I don't know if he's still alive or not, but his people are and they are still there. We need to get them all, put an end to this crap and get the hell out.

[Davis_X_Machina]

8. They're in the North-West Frontier Province...

....of Pakistan, protected by Pakistani military intelligence, and laughing at us.

[IDFbunny]

9. AQ was routed

but they will wait us out and return when we leave. Bin Laden, if he is alive, is probably in Pakistan or some other x-stan. It's a no win situation.