Afghanistan Becomes Insupportable

The American soldier who went on a rampage and killed 18 people in an Afghan village several days ago is certainly not stable enough mentally to be seen as a cold-blooded murderer. But, his case could be one of many lurking in the ranks of the US military.
America is sending young men and women back two and three and even four times to Iraq and Afghanistan. The emotional load these young people carry is more than we, who only have to endure the nightly news, can imagine. And, now they know they are cannon fodder of the worst sort - that is, the mission is winding down without a win and the opposition Taliban and al-Qaida are pushing their positions by attacking American and allied troops whenever they can, while our troops must be polite, caring in the villages that are now suspect, and generally social workers as much as soldiers.
It isn't a job description that most of us would be willing to take on, but these young troops are trying to do what has become the impossible. And, they are doing their jobs with conviction, valor and integrity.
But, now and then comes along the trooper whose nerves and mental capacity are not up to the task. And, by the time senior officers realize this, the irreparable harm has been done.
I could say that we need to get out of Afghanistan as quickly as possible, but I've said that before.
I could say that we will never win the war of political cooperation in Afghanistan, but we've known that for some time, and it is the major reason for pulling out on the 2014 timetable.
I could say that Afghanistan has defeated the British and the Russians before us, but we also knew that, even if we were blindly proud enough to think we could do what they had failed to do.
So, we slog on. American, French and British young men will be killed for nothing, and our goal will dwindle down to simply trying our best not to leave in helicopters reminiscent of Saigon.
Foolhardy thoughts of nation building and cleaning up a region that is happy just the way it is, except for the women who will suffer, is not a reason for war. War is declared and fought to be won because national interests require winning.
What a dreadful waste of lives, talents, and national resources.