Do it on the radio

“How do you solve the staging problems inherent in a production of Ibsen’s rarely performed Peer Gynt?

“Do it on the radio” is the solution so famously quipped in Willy Russell’s “Educating Rita”.
__________
Q. How does the United States solve the military problems inherent in waging war in unconquerable Afghanistan?

A. Get the fuck out.

We’re safe[r] now, right? People can no longer bring boxcutters on jets -- or maybe they once again can, I can’t remember and never fly so I’m not googling it. There’s no shortage of gravel quarries in America, which means this isn’t a camouflaged resource war. And good god, if you thought Iraq wasn’t a photogenic military adventure, Afghanistan is even worse: It’s not just the caves and barren mountains but the shadowy valleys of death for personnel stranded by broken down Humvees. Pride be damned, Americans know this war is a military indulgence we can no longer afford.

Michael Hastings ironically observes that Obama “wants to give the appearance of hearing many points of view before he either a) sends the 40,000 more troops or b) figures out an elegant way to not send 40,000 troops.”

There is a third option: Do it on the radio.