Afghanistan, in Today's News 07.22.09

Afghanistan. In case no one has noticed the Obama administration is facing an increasingly difficult challenge in Afghanistan. The situation is beginning to look bogged-down just as the Russians found themselves a couple of decades ago in Afghanistan.

Here follows some quotes from a Tribune Newspapers release. The quotes illustrate the deteriorating situation.

"Sowing security fears less than a month before presidential elections, a wave of gunman and suicide bombers staged coordinated attacks in two eastern cities Tuesday...during hours of chaotic fighting."

"The commando-style assaults...demonstrated [the] insurgents ability to mount sophisticated, multipronged attacks over a wide area."

"The attacks coincided with what has been a surge in battlefield confrontations."

"This month has been the deadliest of the nearly eight-year conflict for Western forces."

"...the attacks helped foster a sense that large swaths of the country are unsafe."

"...witnesses said waves of of attackers appeared to have come close to overrunning some of the government compounds."

Obama faces a no-win situation in Afghanistan, even with the troop build-up he has ordered. Sooner or later he and his advisors will have to recognize that the situation is a drain on budgets, fighting capacity, America's reputation, etc. What they do then will be interesting.