Matthew Hoh Resignation Letter Puts Pressure on Obama

Barack Obama is now faced with the most difficult - and likely the most defining - decision of his first term as President of the United States. Part of his election campaign hinged on the idea that Iraq was not where the U.S. belonged, but instead it was Afghanistan. Afghanistan, according to Obama and many of his advisers, represented the true breeding ground for al Qaeda and the Taliban. The most viable threat to U.S. security, it was believed, resided in Afghanistan and along its mountainous border with Pakistan.

What Matthew Hoh's resignation letter represents is a detailed and descriptive account of the dynamics of the actual conflicts that are ongoing in Afghanistan. Quite frankly, it is a description that would open the eyes of millions of Americans, should they ever take the time to read the resignation letter. Of course, we all know that they won't. The letter itself outlines the problems with the current U.S. presence in Afghanistan and calls into question the very point of that presence, especially when viewed in the context of the other areas of concern that exist around the world. Hoh's points are cogent and would be very difficult to refute if attacked directly.

The first course of action for the Obama administration is going to be to hope that the letter itself fades away. It already seems to be well on its way, as it's appearance as front-page news lasted for less than a full day on Internet news sites. Thus far, President Obama has handled controversy fairly well and his gift for seeming to be calm and contemplative under pressure has carried him. For the sake of his political ambitions, Obama will be forced to either embrace Hoh's letter as part of his reasoning for leaving Afghanistan - or he will be forced to ignore it. If he chooses to address it and oppose it on its merits, his image will likely suffer.