In addition to the sheer horror and sadness, the bombings in Uganda offer a blunt lesson to supporters of the continuing quagmire in Afghanistan. It's there in the lede of this Washington Post report:
The bombings orchestrated by Somalia's al-Shabab militia that killed at least 74 people watching the World Cup finals on television Sunday night are the latest sign of the growing ambitions of al-Qaeda's regional affiliates outside the traditional theaters of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.
Stopping Al Qaeda is not a rationale for the continuing quagmire in Afghanistan. CIA director Leon Panetta has said that Al Qaeda barely exists in Afghanistan. But it is in many other places.
Stopping the Taliban also isn't a rationale for the continuing quagmire in Afghanistan. Afghan "President" Hamid Karzai is reaching out to the Taliban, and Pakistan can't defeat them.
Karzai also is proving that establishing a stable Afghan government isn't a rationale for the continuing quagmire in Afghanistan. His regime is endlessly corrupt, he stole his election, and he continually punks President Obama. But just to prove that his disrespect and lack of appreciation aren't only directed at the President, he's showing the same to the new commander of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. The Washington Post had this one, too:
As he takes charge of the war effort in Afghanistan, Gen. David H. Petraeus has met sharp resistance from President Hamid Karzai to an American plan to assist Afghan villagers in fighting the Taliban on their own.
New general, same resistance from Karzai. Same strategy, same resistance from Karzai. It's not about Al Qaeda. It's not about the Taliban. It's not about helping Afghanistan establish a stable government. Same war, same lack of rationale.
To be continued.