I'd like to change the subject from the regular threads blaming or defending the administration, and concentrate on the subject which distresses me most; The War.

I'd like to think after living a long time, trying to listen and read a lot, I could figure out at least the major stuff. But until now, I haven't been able to finally decide whether we should continue, or just stop our active military efforts, especially in Afghanistan.

I've previously described the decision to invade Iraq as "perhaps the worst decision ever made by a US President". Such an extreme statement seems to be more a part of conventional wisdom with each passing year. The cost of war, now beginning it's tenth year, has been profound; it is the major component of our national budget deficit. But that is nothing compared to the thousands lost, thousands horribly wounded and thousands suffering from those losses.

What have we learned from recent history? Can terrorism be defeated by drones and surges, or do those whose lives are disrupted by our armed forces vow to do anything - even kill themselves - to destroy us in return? Have we actually created more terrorists than we have defeated?

Andrew Bacevich has finally convinced me. I didn't know who he was but was intrigued to learn that he was a graduate of West Point, taught there, got a doctorate from Princeton, and was a fast-track Army officer. This, by the way, is an identical biography to that of David Petraeus, five years younger. Bacevich began to lose his belief in the 'we can defeat the enemy' philosophy with the collapse of the Soviet Union and especially after personally witnessing the fall of the Berlin Wall. His book, "America's Path to Permanent War", is a powerful argument to end what we are doing and take a whole new course.

I admire what the Obama administration has done to attempt to fix the huge domestic problems we are facing, but I now believe it is a tragic mistake to continue the war in Afghanistan.