Dem congressman: Afghanistan conflict ‘not a winnable war’

With President Obama on the ground in Afghanistan Friday, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) declared the U.S.-led war in that country unwinnable.

In an appearance on MSNBC’s “Hardball” with Chris Matthews, the Democrat said the war is costing the U.S. far too much and the military effort is misdirected at best. 

“The problem is this is not a winnable war, Chris,” Moran said. “Even our combatant commanders know that we can’t win this militarily.” 

Moran warned that while a Republican-led Congress may continue to support the president’s current path in Afghanistan, Obama has “a political problem at home.”   

After being challenged by Matthews, Moran explained that he didn’t think there was a military solution in Afghanistan given widespread government corruption in that country, which Moran claimed is only exacerbated by the billions of U.S dollars pouring in.

“I’m saying that we can’t win it militarily,” Moran said. “We can’t capture or kill or convert enough young people in the Afghan population from siding with the Taliban because we’re backing a government that is inherently corrupt, that doesn’t relate to the people, that doesn’t deserve the people’s respect and is unsustainable.” 

Moran went on to say that it’s Pakistan, not Afghanistan, that’s the real source of the threat. 

Obama made a surprise visit to the country Friday and spoke to troops at Bagram Air Force Base just outside Kabul. 

The president said the upcoming year would see “the beginning of a transition to Afghan responsibility.” Obama also pledged to never again allow Afghanistan to “serve as a safe haven for terrorists who would attack the United States of America.”