We are at war in Afghanistan because the United States was barbarically attacked by Muslim terrorists who use Afghanistan as a base of operations with the indulgence of the Afghan people and their then-rulers, the equally barbaric Afghan Taliban.

And if they try to attack us again — or worse, succeed in doing so — the world needs to know, just as Afghanistan needs to know, that we will not hesitate to fight them with ground forces and any other military force appropriate to the task.

Even those of us who have misgivings about aspects of the mission agree passionately that these things are true.

Bill is right. Much of what Michael Steele has done has been embarrassing. This one was flat inexcusable.