Patience with Afghanistan

Hours after the Sept. 11 attacks, a fearful question struck many Americans: When would the next terrorist strike occur?

The weeks after the 2001 tragedy were filled with many false alarms in New York, Washington and other parts of the country.

But nearly six years later, there has not been another attack on U.S. soil, though there have been attempts. President Bush and the Congress deserve credit for that, as do the many government agencies that work every day to thwart terrorist efforts.

Back then, it was believed that al Qaeda’s leader, Osama bin Laden, would be captured or killed within weeks or months.

Yet he remains on the loose. Many believe he is hiding somewhere along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, though reports indicate that intelligence officials have few leads on exactly where he is.

A couple of years ago, a frustrated Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) asked, “Why don’t we just go get him?”

Some have opined that bin Laden would have been brought to justice by now if the United States had not declared war on Iraq.

Regardless of whether that is true, bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders must be held accountable for their heinous actions.

A few congressional Democrats told The Hill this month that they want the U.S. to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, expressing impatience with our efforts there.

Some other Democrats said that after the U.S. pulls out of Iraq, they will focus on getting out of Afghanistan.

However, Democratic leaders in Congress and the Democratic front-runners for president have repeatedly stressed their commitment to continuing to fight the war in Afghanistan. That is a wise approach because unlike previous wars, the battle against terrorism is constant.

Republicans and Democrats disagree about Iraq and this fall, there may be more disputes between Bush and GOP officials on Capitol Hill about what should happen next in that country.

Yet there is widespread agreement that there is unfinished business in Afghanistan, namely getting bin Laden. Until that goal is achieved, talk of getting out of Afghanistan is premature.

Bush has 18 months left in his term. When he leaves office in early 2009, historians will debate his legacy and note his post-Sept. 11 leadership of the country as well as his controversial decision to invade Iraq.

They will also point out that under his watch, the U.S. captured or killed bin Laden. Or they will note that the Sept. 11 mastermind successfully evaded all of Bush’s efforts to get him.

Finding bin Laden is no easy task, as it involves politics with leaders in Pakistan and many other factors.

Some may argue that the CIA is best equipped to locate bin Laden — not the U.S. military.

But leaving Afghanistan now would ease political pressure on Pakistan and cause terrorists like bin Laden to claim victory.