Editor, The Commercial:
“A Washington Politician is someone who will ask YOU to die for HIS country” — Anonymous
The vice-presidential debate had both candidates agreeing that we need to withdraw from Afghanistan by 2014. One candidate strongly favors a gradual withdrawal and the other prefers leaving all military until we withdraw. Military leaders favor the latter plan due to the danger of continued missions with limited numbers of American military.
Military history indicates a preference of trained United States Marines when placed in harm’s way over communicating and fighting with trained foreign soldiers where success and survival are issues.
Consider this historical fact: After rapidly advancing into North Korea the First Marine Division found themselves surrounded by hundreds of thousands of enemy. When the Marines fought their way out of a place named “The Frozen Chosin Reservoir,” seven entire enemy divisions were destroyed.
Based on military history and the opinion of our military leaders, I prefer the sound logic of one candidate over the other when it comes to a withdrawal. I hope America will too.