Jackson Diehl points out that the decision on an Afghanistan-war policy isn’t really as difficult as the Iraq challenge that George W. Bush faced when “there was no clear way forward.” For one thing, there was no precedent of an Iraq surge precedent to look at. But Obama has plenty of data, the experience of Iraq, and the best military team ever to wrestle with such issue already in place. For all the whining and protestations from the Obami that this is such a hard decision, it really isn’t. Diehl observes:

On Afghanistan, in contrast, there is unanimity in the Pentagon and considerable agreement in Congress and among the NATO allies. The consensus says that Afghanistan cannot be abandoned anytime soon; that efforts to build up the Afghan army and strengthen both national and local governance must be redoubled; that U.S. forces must aim to ensure security for the Afghan population, at least in the country’s biggest cities. Almost everyone agrees that accomplishing all those aims will require at least some additional American and NATO troops.

And really, are we to believe that Obama knows that the “right” number is 34,500 troops and not 40,000? We are down to quibbling about specific numbers, a matter on which the president possesses no particular expertise or insight. One comes away with the sense that either Obama’s arrogance knows no bounds (he alone can determine the precise number of troops) or he is incapable of firm decision-making and oblivious to his being perceived as a vacillator. As Diehl notes: “It’s an image that risks undermining any commitment Obama eventually makes. In the end, it’s not enough for a president to be seen as having thought through a decision to send more troops to war. Enemies, allies and the country also need to be convinced that he believes in it.” Right now, it’s hard to discern what Obama believes.