1115.org

Remember Afghanistan? You know, Afghanistan — the shining success story of the War on Terror, where we showered freedom on a war-torn people and crushed their Taliban oppressors. As recently as a month ago, President Bush was declaring victory in Afghanistan and touting it as a model for the rebuilding of Iraq.

“Coalition forces, including many brave Afghans, have brought America, Afghanistan and the world its first victory in the war on terror,” the president said. “Afghanistan is no longer a terrorist factory sending thousands of killers into the world.”

There was no “Mission Accomplished” banner behind the President when he said those words on June 15, and he wasn’t dressed in a flightsuit. But it’s apparent that the President really enjoys declaring victory in the various aspects of the War On Terror™, even when such statements are complete bullshit mildly optimistic.

A British parliamentary committee has warned that Afghanistan is likely to “implode, with terrible consequences” unless more troops and resources are sent to calm the country.

The all-party Foreign Affairs Select Committee, in a report released Thursday, said warlord violence and the struggle between U.S.-led troops and insurgents continues to be a threat to security in Afghanistan.

Hmmm. I’m no foreign policy expert, but it seems to me that there is a world of difference between “victory” and “implosion”. Too bad our leaders didn’t have the attention span to devote the time, energy and resources needed to properly rebuild Afghanistan; Iraq was much more interesting.

Afghanistan deserves better than hollow proclamations of victory. But that’s likely all it will get.