Haven't we heard this before?

The war in Afghanistan is "fundamental to the defense of our people," President Obama said Monday, addressing the Veterans of Foreign Wars conference in Phoenix, Ariz. -- but the fight will not be easy.

"The insurgency in Afghanistan didn’t just happen overnight. And we won’t defeat it overnight," the president said. "But we must never forget. This is not a war of choice. This is a war of necessity. Those who attacked America on 9-11 are plotting to do so again. If left unchecked, the Taliban insurgency will mean an even larger safe haven from which al Qaeda would plot to kill more Americans."

Of course, this is also President Obama yesterday:

“That is why I announced a new, comprehensive strategy in March. This strategy recognizes that Al Qaeda and its allies had moved their base to the remote, Tribal Areas of Pakistan,” The News quoted Obama, as saying.

So the Afghan insurgency didn't develop overnight [because it couldn't possibly have existed until a foreign invasion toppled the Taliban government], and we have to spend years, billions, and lives to keep Al Qaeda from launching new attacks from Afghanistan, even though Al Qaeda has moved out of Afghanistan and into Pakistan?

Shorter Obama: we have to fight them over there [where they aren't] to keep us safe over here.

This makes about as much sense as the various explanations offered for our invasion of Iraq.

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