Vacillating

Last night President Obama tried to have it both ways and may end up alienating everyone. Bowing to military necessity, he commendably ordered that more troops be sent to Afghanistan. But as a sop to his leftist base, he didn't ask for as many as his general says are needed to win, and he announced a date when the U.S. will leave, no doubt emboldening the terrorists.

Since the Democrats will be unhappy with anything short of unilateral withdrawal, Obama should have simply announced we would "pay any price for the advance of liberty." Instead, he appears weak and vacillating. Let's hope his spine stiffens as events unfold. There's a war to win.