Statesman Obama knows that Afghan war is futile;practical politician Obama knows the price he has to pay if he quits Afghanistan now.
As a political issue ,if he withdraws now, the same people who have been crying hoarse for withdrawal now would scream that he should have continued the war as the objective was in sight.After all he is also a political animal.
Story:
President Obama assumed full ownership of the war in Afghanistan on Tuesday night with a speech arguing that the fastest way out of the conflict is a rapid and significant escalation of it. But the muted response from key Democratic congressional leaders and the skepticism from Republicans about an exit strategy signaled that the president faces a stiff fight to sell the policy.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/01/AR2009120104977.html?wpisrc=newsletter