White House to McChrystal: "Slow Your Roll"

An encouraging report from the Washington Post claims that divisions over the future course of the War in Afghanistan are intensifying at the White House. A series of high level meetings have recently pitted several top advisers and administration officials against the administratoin's hawkish elements, who side with General McChrystal and General Petraeus. Apparently Secretary Clinton and Secretary Gates have not disclosed where they stand.

However, a recent p.r effort to highlight the administration's achievements against al-Qaeda, and a message that defeating the terrorist organization, rather than rebuilding Afghanistan, has always been Obama's stated goal both speak to increasing internal support for the Biden approach.

The Obama strategy in "AfghPak" since March has been to view Pakistan and Afghanistan as a single, related problem. But Obama advisors suggest that two things have changed since March: increased stability in Pakistan due to the reinstatement of Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry as the Supreme Court chief justice and a strong challenge to the Taliban in the Swat Valley, along with the fallout of the Karzai reelection scandals. The declined risk of the entire region destabilizing, along with the diminished legitimacy of the Karzai adminstration, enhance the argument that the U.S can draw down its involvement in nation-building and focus on counter-terrorism.

One anonymous administration official summed up, "Examining the options, testing assumptions, reviewing everything -- we're not talking months, just days and weeks, and it is well worth the time spent."

Obama can be cautious to a fault, but in matters of war and peace, slowing a rush to judgment is a sign of true leadership. Let's hope the White House keeps heading in this direction.