After eight years of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, isn't it time we start thinking about the downsizing of our efforts there? President Obama will decide soon whether he should accept the recommendation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, and increase U.S. troop strength by 40,000 more troops. The president should choose another option, one that begins the process of downsizing, not increasing, the U.S. commitment there. Last week, I was chatting by phone with my friend Howard Phillips, chairman of the Conservative Caucus. Like me, Howard thinks that increasing troop levels in Afghanistan would not be smart. He referred me to a recent article in the liberal Nation magazine entitled 'An Open Letter to President Obama' by William Polk, which Howard said thoughtfully lays out the argument against a military buildup in Afghanistan. Obama should be applauded for staking out a strong position against al-Qaida and