 The Way Forward in Afghanistan
 In an address hosted by AEI, President George W. Bush discussed progress in the War on Terror, focusing on the front in Afghanistan. He announced a five-point plan to help the young democracy grow and become more stable: increasing the size and capability of the Afghan Security Forces, strengthening the NATO force in Afghanistan, improving provincial governance and developing the rural economy, decreasing poppy cultivation, and increasing cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan in fighting terrorists. President Bush described the War on Terror as "a long ideological struggle between the forces of moderation and liberty versus the forces of destruction and extremism," and the struggle for liberty in Afghanistan and elsewhere as universal: "Jeane Kirkpatrick was right–people around the world, regardless of their faith, their background, or their gender, want to be free."
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So President Bush must need a boost, speaking at a place where he’s bound to be well received – his "base" – The American Enterprise Institute. It was the home for the Neoconservatives during the Clinton years – the Cheneys, Scooter Libby, John Bolton, Laurie Mylroie, Paul Wolfowitz, Michael Ledeen, Newt Gingrich, and a host of lesser luminaries. A place where like-minded people could hang out, draw a pay-check, and scheme together. It was a launching pad for the Project for the New American Century to set up shop in the same building. Why our man in the news, Douglas Feith, gave a rousing speech there, Winning in Iraq, just a few years back. So it’s a good place for Bush to go get the kind of applause he got during his first four years as President – the kind of applause that he needs to keep his illusions alive.
But for the most of us, it’s a slap in the face for him to revisit the site where the most outrageous scheme in American history was hatched and nursed into place. It’s just a slap in the face…
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