Afghanistan - View From The Tulsa World

In the novel, "The Last Convertible," one of author Anton Myrer's characters poses the question: "How do we know when something is of overmastering importance?" And the answer was: When it has overmastered us.
The war in Afghanistan is overmastering Americans' patience. The past week represents one of the bloodiest and most tragic in the decade-long conflict.
Thirty U.S. service members and eight Afghan commandos died in the Wardak province Saturday after a rocket-propelled grenade shot down an Army Chinook helicopter. Five U.S. casualties were air crew members, and 25 were members of U.S. Special Operations Command. It was the largest loss of life in a single combat incident in Afghanistan.
Osama Bin Laden is dead. What compelling reason is there to remain in Afghanistan? President Barack Obama should accelerate the removal of troops. Polls repeatedly show most Americans wanting the U.S. out of the conflict.
In the past week, four Oklahoma Army National Guard soldiers have died in Afghanistan. The latest casualty is Army Sgt. Anthony Del Mar Peterson, 24, of Chelsea, killed Thursday. The other three Oklahomans who were killed also were attached to the 279th Infantry, assigned to the Paktia province. They include Staff Sgt. Kirk Avery Owen, 37, of Sapulpa, killed Aug. 2, and 2nd Lt. Jered W. Ewy, 33, of Edmond, and Spc. Augustus J. Vicari, 22, of Broken Arrow, both killed Friday.
The 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry, made up of more than 800 soldiers, deployed to Afghanistan in June.
Even if the U.S. ultimately prevails, the overmastering question is this: What do we get if we win?