Is Afghanistan a necessary war?

There has been very little good news about Afghanistan lately:

• Election fraud has plagued Afghanistan with a legitimacy crisis.
• August proved to be the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
• The State Department is now reviewing allegations of misconduct at U.S. embassy in Kabul.

Even military officials have commented on the situation in Afghanistan:

• Admiral Mike Mullen referred to our situation in Afghanistan as "serious and it is deteroriating."
• General Stanley McChrystal called for an overhaul of Afghanistan war strategy on Tuesday.

It's not surprising when public opinion shows a growing opposition to U.S. efforts in Afghanistan.  According to the latest CNN poll, 57 percent of Americans oppose the war in Afghanistan and 62 percent say that the U.S. "is not winning" the war in Afghanistan.

Amidst a dominating health care debate, the question of Afghanistan has resurfaced: Is Afghanistan a necessary war?

This article appears in Sep 2-8, 2009.