Cause and Effect is Based on Perspective Posted by The Editors

This post is by NSN Executive Assistant Luis Vertiz.

As Pat noted below, Senator Ben Cardin proposed the best question of the morning so far, asking how metrics and benchmarks we place on the Afghan government will determine the pace we will transition troops out of Afghanistan starting in July 2011. He wanted to know what specific metrics would be in place to measure progress of our renewed efforts. Admiral Mullen offered the ability of the Karzai government to place government representatives in districts across the country, and not just in the most currently secure districts, as metric to measure Afghan improvements towards governance reform. Cardin quickly cut in, asking if that doesn't happen, does that mean we ought to stay longer to help the Afghans or does that mean we cut our losses and accelerate a troop withdrawal?

Pat is right in noting Secretary Clinton's evasion of that question. Making a hard declaration of US policy could help Taliban forces to better plan for a US withdrawal. However, not answering that question will hasten support from a fickle left wing of the Democratic Party which hopes to see less blood and treasure spilled in Central Asia. I doubt this question will get an explicit answer from this, or any administration, as the President would want to maintain as much flexibility in future policy deliberations as possible.

Comments

[glucosamin]

Hi,
Thanks for sharing.In each case, it seems to me the "field" is what causes a change, and the effect is what is being called the potential which exists across the entire model and is dependant on material properties.