Op-Ed: The Time To Lead Is Now, Mr. President

Op-Ed

On October 26, 2009, fourteen brave Americans gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country in Afghanistan -- marking the deadliest day for Americans in that war-torn country in more than four years. This has also been the deadliest year for American soldiers in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion. Their deaths come as President Obama continues to meet with his national security team to determine whether or not to send additional U.S. troops to the country.

I have recently attended numerous high-level briefings on the war in Afghanistan. After thoroughly reviewing the information I received, I believe the time has come for the President to make a decision on the future of our involvement in Afghanistan. The window of opportunity for victory is closing. The lives of our troops -- indeed, our very national security -- are at stake.

It was only seven months ago that the President announced his plan to pursue a fully-resourced counterinsurgency campaign in Afghanistan. That plan is based on the advice of commanders on the ground and recognizes the need to deny both al-Qaeda and the Taliban safe haven in Afghanistan. I believe that plan is still vital to preventing future attacks on the American people and our allies, and to prevent Pakistan's nuclear arsenal from falling into the hands of terrorists.

Our forces are now fighting a war in which the very strategy they are trying to implement remains in limbo. The President's decision of whether or not to send more American men and women into a theater of war is a weighty one and should not be made in haste. Unfortunately, the lack of decisiveness about how to best proceed is emboldening our enemies and endangering our troops and our allies.

I believe the best course of action is for the President to adopt General Stanley McChrystal's request for additional troops. As General McChrystal said in his assessment of the current situation, "Failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term…risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible." General McChrystal knows that if we lose, al Qaeda will imbed within Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and take aim at global targets, especially American targets.

A successful counterinsurgency strategy requires a military force large enough to apply decisive force against our enemies while maintaining sufficient troops and police to protect the Afghan people from the Taliban. In some cases, the strategy includes reaching out to low level Taliban leaders who are motivated to be on the winning side -- our side. We must give our troops the resources and man-power they need to finish the job and tip the balance back in our favor. Failing to succeed in Afghanistan has major ramifications for our national security and the stability of the region.

The world needs assurance that America has not lost confidence in its own exceptionalism as a stabilizing force in an unstable world. While these are not easy decisions for our Commander-in-Chief, the time is now for strong leadership -- for the safety of our citizens, for our troops who are already in harm's way, for our allies who need a light at the end of the tunnel, and for the Afghan people whose alternative is Taliban and al Qaeda brutality.

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