It was somewhat surprising that a survey carried out by this newspaper among South Floridians shortly after resident’s Obama announcement to send more troops to Afghanistan, indicated that the majority were not in favor the president’s decision. While a national survey indicate that 61 percent of Americans support the president’s decision, the same survey showed that only 44 percent of Blacks supported it.

Most Blacks, while they do believe that it is important to find and exterminate the terrorist group al Qaeda – which U.S. intelligence indicates is entrenched in Afghanistan/Pakistan border – they do not believe that there is need to send in thousands more soldiers to destroy al Qaeda. A very interesting comment was made by a mother of soldiers currently in Afghanistan, when she said that as a Black woman she was tired of Black youth dying in wars that do not directly affect America.

This statement is not altogether accurate as, White, Asian, Hispanic and others are also being killed in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  However, the Viet Nam war proved that a high percentage of Black youth was sent and lost their lives in that war, and data still show that a high percentage of Black youth have also been sent to Iraq and are being sent to Afghanistan.

Since the 1950s, joining the military has been seen as a positive alternative for Black youth who did not fare well in high school and could not find employment. The military offers new opportunities for education, earning an income, and pursuing a career. Thousands of Black men and women have benefited from their tenure in the U.S. army, navy, air-force, or marines. And many have lost their lives.

It is also not accurate to say that the youth (of all races) have been dying in wars that do not directly affect us. This may have been so in Viet Nam and Iraq, not Afghanistan.

It has been eight long years since al Qaeda terrorists attacked America, and the memory of the impact of that awful day is still etched in the minds of some people.  The Bush administration did right in 2001 for launching an attack on the Taliban, who were then in control of Afghanistan and were reported to be sheltering Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda members. But, although the initial attacks were aggressive and defeated the Taliban, the mistake was that Bush pulled back, and shifted the military’s focus to Saddam Hussein and Iraq. As the pressure eased on al Qaeda and the Taliban, the Taliban regrouped, and has rallied become a formidable foe again, threatening to regain control of Afghanistan. If the Taliban really regains control, there is opportunity for al Qaeda to also regain strength, and be a perpetual threat to America and its allies. What is happening in Afghanistan domestically, does affect America directly.

But, many of us cannot relate to what is happening in Afghanistan, despite the explanation given by the president and members of his administration. A vast number of Americans are not inspired to support a war that is being fought thousands of miles from our shores. No bombs are here, no property relentlessly destroyed. Moreover, the majority of Americans are caught up in their own personal battles, as they cope with the current economic challenges.

One can understand the outcry by some people that an additional $30 billion has to be allocated per year to send the additional troops to Afghanistan. Americans want that money to be spent domestically to improve the economy, and ensure that jobs are provided. Although people understand the need to destroy al Qaeda in Afghanistan, they are finding it difficult to accept that another $30 billion has to be spent in deploying more troops. A significant percentage of people want to know why the 65,000 troops currently in Afghanistan cannot eliminate al Qaeda and make the Taliban irrelevant.

The answer is that the Afghanistan terrain is one of the most rugged and difficult to traverse in the world. This is a land of rugged hills and caves, covering thousands of miles. Plus, the Afghanistan winter is one of the most vicious. One hundred thousand U.S. and allied troops will be much more effective than 65,000, especially if the troops are led in a ferocious, aggressive blitz on enemy (Taliban/al Qaeda) locations.

Can we win in Afghanistan? Unfortunately, no one can predict the outcome of war, as the war in Viet Nam proved. Troops (of all races) will continue to die, and there will be pain and grief, but the hope and the prayer, is that the additional deployment will eliminate the enemy quickly.

Unfortunately, the failed history of the British and the Russians in Afghanistan is not encouraging. But, this is a new era, and where the British and Russians failed, America must succeed this time. Time – 18 months hence – should tell.