Page 6 'ri,c |JariIanh (Dbsmivr July 14, 2010 Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com. New Prices Effective May 1,2010 Martin Cleaning Service A fghanistan str a teg y Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG $45.00 A sm all distance/travel charge m ay be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 Each Area Pre-Spray Traffic Areas (Includes: 1 sm all H allway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area (Hallway Extra) Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services): $25.00 Area/Oriental Rugs: $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool): $40.00 Minimum Heavily Soiled Area: Additional $10.00 each area (RequiringExtensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $ 109 - $ 139 Chair or Recliner $25 - $49 th * Throw Pillows (With Other Services) : $ 5.00 % ADDITIONAL SER VICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet -x Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949 We've Got to Get out of There Like Vietnam, Afghanistan will end badly by D onald K ahl P r e tty m u c h e v e ry o n e th in k s President B arack O b a m a d id th e right thing in fir­ ing his A fg h an i­ stan c o m m a n d e r, G en . S ta n le y M cC hrystal. U nfortunately, he did it for the w rong reasons. M cC h ry sta l g o t fired fo r s h o o t­ in g h is m o u th o f f a b o u t his d is ­ d ain fo r o u r p re sid e n t, h is c iv ilia n staff, an d o u r a llie s w ith in e a rsh o t o f a R olling Stone reporter. O b am a had to g e t rid o f th e g u y lest he, O b a m a, b e lab eled a w im p an d lo se h is a lre a d y slip p e ry sta n d in g w ith the m ilita ry and o u r allies. H e im m ed iately w on points, ho w ev er, fo r n a m in g G en . D av id P e tra e u s as M c C h ry sta l's su cc e sso r. T h is, O b a m a a ssu re d us, w o u ld m e an a s e a m le ss c o n tin u a tio n o f th e stra te g y w e 'v e b een fo llo w in g in A fg h a n is ta n . Y ou k n o w tim e s are h ard w h en k e e p in g o u r A f­ g h a n ista n W ar s tra te g y is c o n ­ sid e re d g o o d n ew s. I d o n 't k n o w i f y o u 'v e n o tic e d b u t w e 're n o t w in n in g th e w a r in A fg h a n ista n ; w e 're n o t ev en ty ­ ing. T h e s tra te g y , w h a te v e r it is, isn 't w o rk in g . There's a reason for this: Strat­ egies that d ep en d on invading a n d p a c if y in g A f g h a n is ta n , thereby bending it to the invader's w ill, never w ork. N ever, j It d id n ’t w o rk fo r A le x a n d e r the G re at, fo r th e M o n g o ls, for the B ritish E m p ire o r fo r th e S oviet U n io n , all o f w h ic h c o n sid e re d th e m se lv e s e x p e rts at in v a d in g an d p a c ify in g . T h e y all c a m e into th e c o u n try w ith fla g s fly in g , and all left sa d d e r b u t w is e r—m o stly s a d d e r. It's w h a t A f g h a n is ta n d o e s to in v ad ers. N o w it's o u r tu rn . W h e n e v e r c ritic s o f th e w ar b rin g up its p a ra lle ls to the V ie t­ n am F o lly , su p p o rte rs ste rn ly a d ­ m o n ish th em w ith : " A fg h a n ista n is n o t V ie tn am ." R ea lly ? L et's rev iew : W e're try in g to su p p re ss an in d ig e n o u s in s u r g e n c y —a lb e it one au g m en ted w ith tro o p s, w e ap ­ o n s a n d s u p p o rt fro m o u ts id e s o u r c e s —in a fa ra w a y la n d o f w h ich w e k n o w little. W e're b o m b in g th e h ell o u t o f th em , usin g $ 5 0 0 ,0 0 0 m issiles and m u lti-m illio n -d o lla r d ro n e s to d e ­ stro y m u d h u ts, an d in th e p ro ­ c ess k illin g in n o c e n t p e o p le an d c o n v e rtin g in d iffe re n t b y s ta n d e rs into an g ry , h a te -fille d m ilita n ts. It is a p o lic y o f d e stro y in g v illa g e s in o rd e r to sav e th em . In th is e ffo rt, w h ic h is in c re a s ­ in g ly o u rs a lo n e, w e 're d e p e n d e n t fo r le g itim a c y on a c o rru p t, fe c k ­ less A fg h an g o v e rn m e n t th at lacks the su p p o rt o f its p e o p le. A n d , la stly , o u r su c c e ss d e ­ p e n d s a lm o st to ta lly n o t m e re ly o n b e in g ab le to re fo rm th a t g o v ­ ern m en t, but on o u r ab ility to tra n s­ fo rm its la rg e ly u n m o tiv a te d and illiterate arm y into a m o d e m fig h t­ in g fo rce so th at w e can tu rn th in g s o v e r to th em an d d e se rt th e b a ttle ­ fie ld w ith o u t see m in g to. S o u n d s lik e V ie tn am to m e. A nd, like V ietnam , it w ill end badly. H am id K a rza i, A fg h a n ista n 's president, know s that. T hat w ily m an is already negotiating With the T aliban and its Pakistani sponsors. H e know s w e're not long for this war. T h e R e p u b lic a n s w o u ld h av e it o th e rw ise . L ed b y m ilita ry g e ­ n iu ses like Jo h n M cC ain an d D ick C h e n e y , th e y 'r e in c e n s e d th a t O b a m a h as set 2011 as th e se ll-b y d a te o f th is w a r. A p p a r e n tly , th e y 're w illin g to k eep fig h tin g it fo rev er. A nd w hen w e do leave, they'll blam e the D em ocrats for "losing A f­ ghanistan," m uch as they used to blam e D em ocrats for losing China. W e're no t going to lose A fg h an i­ stan, for the sam e reason w e didn't lose C hina. W e n ev er ow ned it. T h e B u sh -C h e n e y b u n c h h ad th e ir sh o t at ta m in g A fg h a n ista n . T h e y d id n 't d o it. W h a te v e r th e ir stra te g y , it d id n 't w o rk . I f th e y g et a n o th e r try at it, it w o n 't w o rk a g ain . A T a lib a n s p o k e sm a n re c e n tly sa id th is o f h is c o u n try : "B e fo re G en . M c C h ry sta l, m a n y stro n g m ilita ry g e n e ra ls su ffe re d d e fe at. T h e A m e ric a n s k n o w th a t A f­ g h a n is ta n is th e G ra v e y a rd o f E m p ire s b u t ev en so, th e y in v a d ed th is c o u n try ." T he reporter w as rem inded o f a T aliban saying: " T h e A m e r ic a n s h a v e th e w atches, but w e've got the tim e." O therW ords colum nist D onald K aul lives in A nn A rbor, M ich.