How does this end?

A New York Times story from today is worth considering in the context of my post earlier about the dire climate facing Afghan police. The story, headlined "Petraeus Warns About Militants’ Threat to Pakistan," focuses on today's Senate hearing featuring the Defense Department's Michele Flournoy and Gen. David Petraeus, who oversees America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Here are three paragraphs from the story that struck me:

"'How does this end?' asked Senator Jim Webb, Democrat of Virginia, echoing comments that General Petraeus once made when he was the commander in Iraq.

"Ms. Flournoy responded that 'a key point of defining success is when both the Afghans and the Pakistanis have both the capability and the will to deal with the remaining threat themselves.'

"General Petraeus said that he would 'echo' Ms. Flournoy and that 'the task will be for them to shoulder the responsibilities of their own security.'”

Flournoy noted that the president has made "a very strong commitment" to restoring security. By the end of the year, 30,000 additional troops will join the existing 38,000 troops in Afghanistan.

GOP Sen. John McCain, meanwhile, wants a bigger, faster troop build-up.

"It’s a big country," McCain said, according to the Times' report on the hearing.

Yes, senator, it is a big country. And that would have been an outstanding fact to notice in the fall of 2001 when we were deciding whether trying to invade and re-make Afghanistan would be the most efficient, effective way to protect America from terrorism.

I apologize for arguing with a man who's not here to argue back. But I just get so tired of these belated realizations. Belated realizations coupled with apologies? That, I could stomach.