Withdrawal Toward What?

[Geee]

American Spectator:

President Obama isn't terribly concerned with winning wars.

In his speech last night, Obama talked about "our effort to wind down this war," "responsibly end[ing] these wars," and "tak[ing] comfort in knowing that the tide of war is receding." He did not use the words "win" or "winning"; the word "victory" appeared only in a reference to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

The stylistic decision is revealing; ideologically and temperamentally, Obama is still not entirely comfortable as a war president. He is still naturally attracted to the political appeals to war-weariness that his 2008 campaign was largely built on.

Substantively, this has led him to a decision that carries some real risks. He isn't rejecting the counterinsurgency strategy that General David Petraeus has pursuing in Afghanistan, but he is pulling troops out a bit faster than Petraeus would prefer. That will make the task of leaving behind an Afghan force capable of securing the gains U.S. forces have made somewhat more difficult, and Obama's decision to announce the withdrawal timeline may make it harder to press for what he calls "initiatives that reconcile the Afghan people, including the Taliban."