War On Terror Not In Iraq and Escalation In Afghanistan

While Congress is debating whether or not to allow Bush to go forward with escalating his very bad idea into an even worse idea (as explained by this "This Modern World" cartoon), and while Bush is going ahead with his surge escalation regardless of what Congress does, Pakistan is busy fighting the War on Terror on their border and the Taliban and al-Qaeda is going forward with a surge escalation of their own in Afghanistan.

Bush is so busy fighting against people who did not attack us on 9/11 that it has been left up to Pakistan to fight the people who did (al-Qaeda):

Pakistanis Hit Possible al-Qaida Target

(AP) Pakistani helicopter gunships attacked a suspected al-Qaida hide-out in forest near the Afghan border Tuesday, killing up to 10 people and sparking anger among tribesmen who said the dead were woodcutters, not terrorists.

The raid in South Waziristan came as Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Afghanistan and as pressure grew on Pakistan to crack down on militants launching attacks across the frontier.

In the same article, they mention the increase of insurgent attacks in Afghanistan (something that Bush is not even paying lip service to):

Tuesday's raid ended a relative lull in violence on the Pakistan side of the border since the government signed a September peace deal with pro-Taliban militants in nearby North Waziristan. But critics say the deal has consolidated Taliban influence and given freer rein for militants to venture into Afghanistan where violence has escalated sharply.

In a sign that Pakistan was getting tougher again, Musharraf told top generals Tuesday it would continue efforts to control extremism and terrorism through political means, but would not tolerate any illegal border-crossing. "Any hide-out or sanctuary being used by terrorists or miscreants shall be knocked out wherever it is found," a military statement quoted Musharraf as saying.

As Gates visited Kabul and held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, American military officials said Taliban fighters were exploiting the North Waziristan deal to dramatically increase attacks on U.S. and allied forces in eastern and southeastern Afghanistan.

A U.S. military intelligence officer said since the deal took effect Sept. 5, the number of attacks in the border area of Afghanistan had grown by 300 percent _ although one condition of the deal is for militants to refrain from such attacks. Pakistan was also accused of turning a blind eye to infiltration by Taliban fighters at a border control point.

The number of attacks in Afghanistan (where al-Qaeda actually is) are up, yet Bush is still obsessed with Iraq despite being wrong about everything on Iraq. Even Bush's own Secretary of Defense sees this as a problem:

Gates to consider more troops for Afghanistan

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Wednesday he would consider more troops for Afghanistan where U.S. commanders say the Taliban insurgency, controlled from Pakistan, is expected to intensify.

Gates, in Afghanistan to ensure commanders have the resources to counter an expected Taliban offensive in the spring, said it was very important the United States and its allies did not let the success achieved there slip away.
Violence in Afghanistan increased last year to its bloodiest since U.S.-led forces overthrew the Taliban in 2001.

U.S. military commanders said attacks from Pakistan into Afghanistan had surged, several-fold in some areas.

Gates said he had discussed the situation with the commander of Afghanistan's NATO force, General David Richards, and others.

Asked if the commanders had made a case for more troops, Gates said: "Yes."

The United Kingdom's Prime Minister agrees:

Blair signals UK will send more troops to Afghanistan

The prospect of more British troops being sent to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan was signalled by Tony Blair yesterday.

The move followed an exclusive report in The Herald in which it was revealed that during a private meeting in No 10 on Sunday, Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, asked the Prime Minister for additional British forces to keep up the military momentum against the insurgents.

[...]

He added at his monthly press conference: "It is very important that the Taliban are defeated. One of the reasons why these fights have been going on in past two days is precisely to degrade Taliban capability and are forces are doing a very good job."

However because of Bush's obsession with Iraq and neglect of Afghanistan, this would be a strain on the UK if the US does not start to take Afghanistan seriously:

Military sources have suggested that the US request could result in as many as 1000 extra British troops being sent to Afghanistan. If it happens, then it will put further pressure on a stretched - some say overstretched - army, which is already struggling to cope with a rolling deployment of 5800 soldiers to Afghanistan and 7100 to Iraq every six months.

The Americans have 20,000 troops in Afghanistan and are about to take command of all Nato forces, including the British, next month. The Pentagon is keen to reduce its commitment there to create reserves for Iraq.

Potential presidential candidate Sen. Clinton agrees with Gates and Blair about Afghanistan:

Clinton wants to cap troops in Iraq, increase troops in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON - The United States should cap the number of troops in Iraq, while increasing American forces in Afghanistan, Sen. Hillary Rodham said Wednesday.

[...]

On Afghanistan, Clinton called the conflict there "one of the great missed opportunities," urging an increase in U.S. troops before a likely "spring offensive" by the Taliban.

And what is this "spring offensive" in Afghanistan we have heard so little about because of Bush's escalation in Iraq?:

Canadians confident despite U.S. warning of spring Taliban offensive

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CP) - There are growing warnings among U.S. military ranks that Kandahar, the "holy grail" for Taliban militants, will once again be the central objective of an anticipated spring offensive.

The high sign is coming not only from American commanders on the ground, but senior officials with newly appointed U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gate, who is expected to travel to Afghanistan in the coming days.

The senior Canadian commander in Afghanistan said he doesn't believe the province of Kandahar, nor the city itself, would bear the brunt of a spring offensive if one materializes, adding he has confidence his U.S. allies will not yield any ground.

So while Bush is pushing for an escalation in Iraq, the Taliban and al-Qaeda (the terrorist organisation behind the 9/11 attacks) are pushing an escalation of their own in Afghanistan. Even if this "spring offensive" does not happen, there has been an gradual escalation of insurgent attacks for the past few years.

Bush is fighting the War on Terror in the wrong country, and other countries are having to make up the difference.

It is not that I am surprised that the self-proclaimed "Decider" is, once again, making bad decisions, but I am still horribly disappointed.