Where Is The U.S. Debate On Afghanistan?

Soldiers patrol in eastern Afghanistan in late November. Umit Bektas/Reuters

2011 Reflections: What Happened To The US Debate On Afghanistan? -- Ben Arnoldy, Christian Science Monitor

Seven Monitor correspondents reflect on the world's hot spots. In this installment, Ben Arnoldy is bothered by silence on the war because, unlike him, US troops can’t choose when to come home.

It's the middle of the night and I've just been awakened by an explosion. Standing in the dark of the Afghan guesthouse, I hear gunfire approaching.

I am the only Westerner in Baharak, a far-flung town. My curiosity turns to fear. I start looking for a hiding spot. Then, mercifully, the guns fall silent.

During my three years in the region, it was times like these that made me consider whether I wanted to keep reporting on Afghanistan, where the US involvement is entering its 11th year. Was it worth the risks if few Americans seemed to be paying attention to the conflict?

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My Comment: Ben Arnoldy is right .... there is no interest among the general American public on the Afghan war. I have been doing this blog for the past few years, and interest in my Afghanistan War News Updates posts (that I do everyday at 9:00 AM) is zilch. I still do it as a historical document (for my own reasons) .... but it is still disheartening that there is lack of public interest .... and public debate .... on a war that is costing us countless lives, maiming even more, and draining our treasury by the billions every month.