Pakistan/Afghanistan

I've been very upset this morning - listening to the radio and, earlier, watching cable news. Former Bush Chief of Staff Andrew Card was on MSNBC talking about how the leaking of this report inhibits the president's ability to make good decisions and to protect America. I don't really buy that, and it's hardly the main issue. What the hell are we doing? We've made such a mess of both these military campaigns and now that Al-Qaeda is completely reconstistuted, we can't even figure out a way to deal with it. What the hell are we doing? Billions and billions of dollars have been spent, thousands of Americans are dead, and I don't feel one bit safer than I did on Sept 12th. I don't think I've ever felt more sure that we'll be attacked again than I do this morning. What's it all been for?

http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSN29326556

WASHINGTON, June 29 (Reuters) - Top Bush administration officials drafted a secret plan late last year to make it easier for U.S. Special Operations forces to operate inside Pakistan's tribal areas, but Washington turf battles and the diversion of resources to Iraq have held up the effort, the New York Times reported on Monday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/washington/30tribal.html
[ . . . ]
After the Sept. 11 attacks, President Bush committed the nation to a “war on terrorism” and made the destruction of Mr. bin Laden’s network the top priority of his presidency. But it is increasingly clear that the Bush administration will leave office with Al Qaeda having successfully relocated its base from Afghanistan to Pakistan’s tribal areas, where it has rebuilt much of its ability to attack from the region and broadcast its messages to militants across the world.