I am extremely conflicted about the plans for Afghanistan. I know the arguments on both sides- as I have been equally shouted down from folks embracing each opinion. And I know arbitrary deadlines are not helpful and can be hurtful. But when vets stand up in support of something like the McGovern bill coming up-- I am conflicted.

Should we escalate? Should we leave? What about Pakistan? What do all the various choices look like?

WASHINGTON / Boston.com -- Representative James McGovern of Massachusetts, who has launched the only effort in the US House to oppose President Obama's plans for the Afghan war, received an unexpected boost of support today from a group of Afghan and Iraqi war veterans, who raced around Capitol Hill lobbying for his bill.

Congress is expected on Thursday to swiftly approve the $94.2 billion war funding bill, which would support the 21,000 additional combat troops and military trainers that Obama plans to deploy. But McGovern's bill, which he plans to file Thursday, would require the Pentagon to come up with an exit strategy by the end of the year.

The veterans, who are part of a small but growing group of Americans who oppose the Afghan war, traveled to Washington this week, shadowed by the Brave New Foundation, a California-based nonprofit film company that produces social justice documentaries and has launched a campaign called Rethink Afghanistan.

Realizing that it could not stop the supplemental, the group focused instead on getting more support for McGovern's bill.

"Without an exit strategy, then the mission is doomed to fail," said Jake Diliberto, who fought in Afghanistan in 2001 as a Marine. Diliberto, who said he is now getting his master's degree in ethics from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., said that he strongly believed in the mission, but that the US presence has grown extremely unpopular among Afghans, as civilian casualties have increased.

I think we certainly had a window, after 9/11 in our efforts in Afghanastan-- to really make a difference there and in the region. But I am deeply afraid that our window closed long ago. And what I really fear is that I don't think anyone really knows what the best choice is at this point.