“That Afghan Plan

Sam at SOLO looks at “That Afghan Plan”:

So, the President's plan is to pop 30k more troops into Afghanistan. And then to start pulling them out in 18 months or so. This is the 'refined' strategy.
    “Gee, wonder what Osama and team Taliban would make of this? The most potent, ass-kicking military the planet has known is about to upscale operations in your neighbourhood – but only for 18 months or so.
    “That's 18 months to meditate; to have one's followers memorise the Koran & other cool speeches; to hold group fireside chats about our long struggle with the infidel; to take notes on whom of our brothers collaborates with the infidel; to plant the odd IED or to suicide drive into a town or an army base once every couple of months. Lots to do in the downtime, 'til they leave.
    “Then, when they've gone, we can get back to business, refreshed & repaired by our long vacation in the spas of South Waziristan, virgined-out and our thoughts together.
    “Seriously, when in the history of warfare has a leader ever let the enemy know how long he plans to have a crack at a mission?
    “And the President's generals are ok with this?”

Are you?

As commenters at SOLO say, this is a weak-kneed halfway-house of a policy … or should I say out-house of a policy. A policy devised to satisfy both those who heard Obama say he’d “sort out” and “pull out,” with a timeline devised to finish just before the next presidential election campaign.

This is politics, not defence.