James Carafano (The Foundry) nails the issue with Obama and his non-plan for Afghanistan.

Then they set the strategists to working drafting the strategies to win. We have plenty of evidence Obama has turned this process on its head.He sent a general off to right a strategy without a mission. He was not clear on his goals. He didn’t know to what lengths he’d go to fight his “war of necessity.” When the general came back with a politically incorrect strategy, one that didn’t fit the domestic agenda, the president just started shopping for a new strategy. That meant rooting around for new goals and ways that were more politically acceptable.

The admission that the president is unsure of the mission in Afghanistan and unsure of how far he’ll go to win is a colossal demonstration of a crisis in presidential leadership.

Why do we care if the president learns the painful lessons of poor strategy making on the job? Because we’ll feel the pain.

In adjusting the strategy to what is desirable rather than what is necessary to win a necessary war the president starts down the road to defeat.

The president probably won’t chose to do less in Afghanistan, at least right away, because he can’t afford to look too soft on national security, but he is not likely to do much more. This incremental strategy is bound to fail, because the enemy will just incrementally adjust, and for them not losing is winning, for us not winning is losing.

A strategy driven by political accommodation rather than the reality of warfare is folly.

Obama and his lack of strategy or will is not a surprise to me and I had predicted this last fall. When President Bush sent troops into Afghanistan he told the American People this was going to be a prolonged front that could last decades. Democrats were howling last year during the presidential campaign that Afghanistan should be the focus and sounded like they were being tough on defense but as usual for the Democrats, being tough on defense is just a campaign strategy. That’s all they know how to do is strategize for campaigns not for fighting a war. Once again Obama and his Democrats are weak on defense.

Afghanistan, Obama, Democrats weak on defense, war without a strategy