Anybody home?

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How's this for a measure of how far our republic has fallen?

The Kerry-Karzai agreement for continued -- no, cesaseless -- American woe and waste in Afghanistan must past muster with the "loya jirga," the assembly of 3,000 tribal "elders" who will be meeting for the next several days in Kabul. 

Unless a small group of upstart US senators gets traction, our own representatives are assumed to be a rubber stamp for Obama's latest blunder abroad. Or so it seems. As quoted by the New York Times, Kerry's concern is limited to whether the agreement passes muster with the loya jirga, that world- renowned embodiment of sharia justice and tribal enlightenment.

“We have agreed on the language that would be submitted to a loya jirga, but they have to pass it,” Mr. Kerry said.

They have to pass it? 

USA Today put it this way: "The U.S. declined to release specific details about the negotiations and stressed nothing was final until the gathering known as the Loya Jirga makes its decision."

Until the Loya Jirga makes its decision? 

What about the US Congress?

So far, there are five US Senators on the ball to the point of calling for a vote on this open-ended committment (spigot) to Afghanistan. They form a "left-right coaltion," reports the Oregonian, spearheaded by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and including Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). They have introduced an amendment that would require the administration to win congressional approval of the security pact the U.S. is negotiating with Afghan leaders.

Gee, that would make us almost as democratic as Afghanistan!