You are quite right, on the economy, his views that Bush was not sufficiently profligate seem very odd indeed, but I think he may even do worse in foreign policy. There is this view amongst several democrats that Iraq was the wrong war and Afghanistan, the right one. That’s dead wrong. Despite my massive misgivings, it looks like Iraq might, just might, be able to be a reasonably country in a few years with a decent oil-based economy. Many dangers of course, but there is a chance.

In Afghanistan, there is none. The elections are a farce to elect a talking shop with no power outside of the foreign troops. The economy is wholly drug-based and as we refuse to deal with the farmers of opium, who do you think maybe funding their war with drugs money? Yep, the Taliban. So until we deny the Taliban funding, the war continues and we won’t deny them the funding because of the “war on drugs” No other viable economy can emerge in Afghanistan for several years (I understand it was formerly agrarian, vineyards etc) so drugs will continue.

The Russians tried with 100,000 troops and no moral restraint, they failed. Can we hope to be more successful with far fewer troops and more restrictions? The troop surge that Obama will possibly deploy, though doubtless welcome to the guys on the ground, won’t achieve its long term aim, UNTIL WE STOP FUNDING THE TALIBAN.