For an excellent and rigorous critique of the McChrystal strategy review, you owe it to yourself to read this lecture, delivered by Paul McGeough of the Sydney Morning Herald. McGeough has been reporting from Afghanistan for decades (so he says; I confess that I’m not familiar with his history) and gives a rather thorough overview of how close to midnight we are in Afghanistan. He clearly respects McChrystal and agrees with much of his diagnosis, but thinks that we’re too deep into the hole for McChrystal’s strategy to work.

McChrystal, I fear, has arrived too late – for Afghanistan and for Washington. He is asking for a huge act of faith on two fronts – first, by the international community; and second by the Afghan people. But after almost a decade of these constituencies having their trust abused, the miracle promised by McChrystal is a mirage, an ephemeral outcome that even with inevitable, subsequent requests for thousands more troops and billions more in reconstruction dollars likely will not eventuate. The general wants a blank cheque for a jalopy on which he offers no warranty.

Really, read the whole thing. My thoughts on this are still forming and I’ll want to say more later.