It’s an idea that continues to gain currency. It could make sense as long as it’s on the Anbar model (peeling off reconcilables, as we did, because they know they’re not going to beat us) rather than the Basra model (giving into thugs, as the Brits did, in a forlorn hope for some relief). The foreign policy debate has been eclipsed by the economy during the campaign, but Afghanistan–what can we realistically do to improve the situation there and how does it fit into our broader strategy?–will require a lot of thinking and debate after the election.