Myth v. Fact: Afghanistan  While “Change” has been Barack
Obama’s mantra, as of late he has been channeling his
predecessor.  “Afghanistan,” according to Obama, “is a war of
necessity… If left unchecked, the Taliban insurgency will mean
an even larger safe haven from which al Qaeda would plot to kill
more Americans.”   President George W. Bush was adept at keeping
the American public in an elevated state of panic. That tactic
may be useful for advancing controversial policies. But if
policymakers continue to downplay the drawbacks of our current
course of action, America risks intensifying the region’s
powerful jihadist insurgency and entangling itself deeper into a
tribal-based society it barely understands.  Americans must be
told the truth about the war in Afghanistan. To understand the
disadvantages of pursuing present policies, we must unpack the
myths that war proponents use to justify staying the course.
Myth #1: Both al Qaeda and the Taliban Are Our Mortal Enemies
Given the magnitude of the atrociti