The fine folks over at the National Security Network convened a broad selection of progressive experts in development, counter-terrorism, regional politics and U.S. politics to build out a series of principles that should govern the Obama administration's strategy in Afghanistan. Give it a read. I'd particularly emphasize their warning to "define success through clear, measurable and realistic objectives." Unwise escalation has proven as tempting to Democratic administrations as to Republican ones, and has easily consumed both. I keep thinking of historian Robbert Dallek at a CAP panel a few months back. "War kills reform," he said. "Every time we've had a major commitment to a war, it has killed a reform movement. Progressivism was done in by the Spanish-American war. Populism by World War I. FDR said Dr. New Deal has been replaced by Dr. War. The Great Society by the Vietnam War. You cannot have guns and butter."
