IF YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF DOESN'T BELIEVE IN YOUR MISSION...:

Troop Morale Drops in Afghanistan, Army Study Says (RACHEL MARTIN, Nov. 15, 2009, ABC News)

[Barbara ] Van Dahlen points to yet another major stress factor for U.S. troops in Afghanistan: the president's long-awaited decision on what strategy to pursue in Afghanistan and how to redefine the mission.

In the absence of a decision, morale can decline.

"It has nothing to do with the politics; it's, 'What do you expect of me? Is this mission valued? And are we going to move forward as we were trained or are we not? Are we going to keep pulling back?' That uncertainty -- it puts into the mix unease. And yes, that affects people psychologically.