Summary: One of Obama's top advisors, Rahm Emanuel, said in an interview that Obama feels the Bush Administration asked the wrong questions in Afghanistan, and Obama is having to start from scratch in his efforts there. He also said Obama feels it would be foolish to raise the troop levels now unless it is evident that there is an Afghani partner with which to work with.
Analysis: Obama has his work cut out for him in almost every aspect of his presidency, but he needs to pull through in Afghanistan almost as much as he needs health care to be successful. His reasons for waiting until a clear leader in Afghanistan is chosen are sound, and he is taking the necessary precautionary steps before raising the troop levels there.
Editorial: I think Obama is going about Afghanistan situation well at this point. He isn't being hasty like he was with the stimulus package, he is taking what time he can in order to make his actions, be it raising the troop level or not, the right actions and the ones that will benefit both Afghanis and Americans alike.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/18/emanuel.afghanistan/index.html
I agree that Obama is handling Afghanistan well at this point, which makes me further question Rahm Emmanuel's timing of his criticism of the Bush administration. Even if Obama's predecessor did "ask the wrong questions" on Afghanistan (which I don't believe he did), there is no need to bring that up now. It simply looks like Emmanuel is trying to provide Obama with an excuse if things in Afghanistan take a turn for the worse.
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