Leave The Hearts To Generals, Minds To Journalists

by Chris Bodenner

Tom Friedman writes:

In grand strategic terms, I still don’t know if this Afghan war makes sense anymore. I was dubious before I arrived, and I still am. But when you see two little Afghan girls crouched on the front steps of their new school, clutching tightly with both arms the notebooks handed to them by a U.S. admiral as if they were their first dolls it’s hard to say: “Let’s just walk away.” Not yet.

Ackerman pwns:

I have no desire to "just walk away" from Afghanistan, but if I did, I couldn't possibly be persuaded by the idea that a bloody and complex war is redeemed by the sight of a tiny schoolgirl receiving a notebook from an admiral. [...] To believe otherwise is to substitute reasoning for emotion, which is deeply irresponsible in matters of life and death.

It also bears mentioning that Friedman got his color for this column by accompanying the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a bit of a PR tour. The day that I write a column abdicating my critical thinking skills because I accompanied a powerful man on a junket is the day I want to have my writing privileges taken away.