After the Obama speech

Even though I was expecting President Obama to call for more troops for Afghanistan on Tuesday night, I still felt a huge wave of disappointment and frustration when he announced he was sending 30.000 more.

I won't repeat all of what I wrote in my Nov 26 blog: I'll just ask some questions:

* What does starting to bring troops home in mid-2011 really mean? How many out of 100,000?

* President Obama says comparing Afghanistan to Vietnam is “a false reading of history." Is it really?

* How much healthcare and education could be given to Afghanistan's children with the billions of dollars that are going to warfare?

* As Nicholas Kristof asked in the NY Times on Thursday, why has there not been consultation with Afghanistan's tribal elders (the Shura) ?

* How can Afghanistan govern itself when the Karzai government is so corrupt? .

* President Obama says this escalation is about "the security of the United States and the safety of the American people." But what about the security and safety of Americans whose health care is lacking, whose homes are being repossessed, whose children are being shortchanged in school or cannot get into college, whose bridges are rickety?

I repeat: hugely disappointing, hugely frustrating.