An American defeat in Afghanistan would be severely detrimental to US national security because of its symbolic effect (“White House Losing Trust in Afghan Partners,” Oct. 18).

Whether al Qaeda is a major problem for US troops in Afghanistan is irrelevant.

What is relevant is the fact that al Qaeda militants will certainly exploit a Taliban victory to their advantage.

Interestingly enough, President Obama’s decision to weigh all options, while understandable, may have a similar effect.

Floundering may very well give the United States a weak image internationally — a development that may not be so terrible if terrorist organizations were not spreading in Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan and Sudan.

Daniel DePetris

Sag Harbor

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It’s interesting that Obama is questioning the reliability and credibility of the Afghan government in the wake of its recent elections.

When faced with a similar situation in Iran, he not only remained silent about the outright fraud, he even welcomed negotiations with the illegitimate government.

As each day passes, our president and his White House advisers increasingly look like foreign-policy novices.

Peter W. Kelly

Hazlet, NJ