The end of 'Afghanistanism' in our lifetime – is it about time or what?

Yes, it is time to get out of our 20-year never-ending war in Afghanistan.

But first, let me tell a bit about editorial writing, including how the name of this far-off country relates to it.

Three decades ago, when I was a hell-on-wheels editorial writer for a local newspaper, it always seemed important to me to write forceful editorials about local issues. I was rewarded for those efforts by measured changes in my communities, the wrath of various portions of the population, and awards from journalism organizations.

But I stayed away, at all costs, from three other types of editorials. M...