Sunday, October 31, 2004
Holbrooke on the Bin Laden Search
Politicizing the bin Laden Tape: "Senator Kerry has said repeatedly that we should've closed the door on bin Laden in the Tora Bora mountains on the Afghan/Pakistan border in December '01 and January 2002. And had we done so--had we not subcontracted the war against al Qaeda to the warlords in the area"
This argument rings so hollow. Holbrooke, as much as anyone, should know that getting people who know how to maneuver in that culture and in that terrain would be solidly more effective than the American military who do not know the culture well, and could not even begin to maneuver the terrain as well as the warlords. The best argument the Democrats have is whether we had their allegiance, but in order to make that argument effectively, they would be wise to concede the other points. Currently, they sound so partisan as to be easily ignored.
This argument rings so hollow. Holbrooke, as much as anyone, should know that getting people who know how to maneuver in that culture and in that terrain would be solidly more effective than the American military who do not know the culture well, and could not even begin to maneuver the terrain as well as the warlords. The best argument the Democrats have is whether we had their allegiance, but in order to make that argument effectively, they would be wise to concede the other points. Currently, they sound so partisan as to be easily ignored.
