The following was written as an open letter to President Obama before his speech at West Point on Tuesday night.

Have courage! Stand up to the generals and War Machine. Explain what you know is true, and young people who voted for change, and the majority of Americans who now say “bring home the troops,” will stand with you.

Explain what you know is true:

The strength of Al Qaeda is broken; what remains in Afghanistan and Pakistan can be monitored. The Taliban cannot be beaten by military means. We have tried for nine years, and the Taliban grows stronger as we send more troops, and more drone attacks kill more civilians.

Your ambassador, a military man, says no more troops until Karzai ends corruption. Does anyone believe Karzai will reform? The recent election made clear war criminals and drug czars keep him in power.

Women in Afghanistan say Karzai, his warlords, and his recent Shiite Personal Status Law are no better for women than the Taliban.

How many more Americans will die, or come home maimed in body and mind, living in pain? How many more Afghans and Pakistanis will die, or live maimed and in pain? For what?

How will we pay for health care reform? Or transformation of our economy and good, green jobs for all Americans?

You know another way. The advisors you asked for advice in transition to office set out another approach. We pray you call on their wisdom now.

They say the US must:

– abandon the idea a decades long “counterinsurgency” can defeat the multi-headed insurgency in Afghanistan; give up prideful effort to reform Afghan tribal systems, “modernize” its religious outlook, free its women; declare the original goal to dismantle Al Qaeda organization in Afghanistan accomplished, establish an unconditional timeline for withdrawal of US and NATO troops, defer to a UN convened conference in which all Afghan stakeholders hammer out for themselves an Afghan future; end unilateral aid, and with the international community create a humanitarian Marshall Plan to help Afghans rebuild their war devastated economy; initiate a “diplomatic surge to persuade, cajole, and bribe Taliban supporters and opponents to support this complex effort.

So little gained, so much lost if you choose more of the same. Diplomacy is your strength. Go for it! If you explain in your clear way what you feel is true, I believe the majority of Americans will stand with you.

Lyn Pyle