Is it Too Late for Afghanistan? James Joyner | November 18, 2008 During his address this evening to the Atlantic Council, ISAF commander General David McKiernan emphasized the many positive trends in Afghanistan, noting that he preferred a "Glass Half Full" view. At the same time, he emphasized that Afghanistan is in the middle of a war -- not a peacekeeping, stability, or human assistance operation. Afghanistan is not Iraq and faces a myriad of complex challenges, including a near total lack of human capital, a population that has mostly faced a lifetime of violence, and a tribal relationship almost impenetrable to outsiders. Most interestingly, he defined -- for the first time I've seen from anyone close to his level of responsibility and seniority -- the answer to a seemingly simple question: What is winning? He did it, not from a U.S. or Coalition strategic perspective, though, but from that of the average Afghan: A sense of security at home and for the country Trusts government and is willing to defend it Expects economic and social progress This, he acknowledges, is mostly a political problem which will require a regional approach. One thing's for sure, McKiernan assured us: "We're not going to run out of bad guys."
James Joyner | November 18, 2008
During his address this evening to the Atlantic Council, ISAF commander General David McKiernan emphasized the many positive trends in Afghanistan, noting that he preferred a "Glass Half Full" view. At the same time, he emphasized that Afghanistan is in the middle of a war -- not a peacekeeping, stability, or human assistance operation. Afghanistan is not Iraq and faces a myriad of complex challenges, including a near total lack of human capital, a population that has mostly faced a lifetime of violence, and a tribal relationship almost impenetrable to outsiders. Most interestingly, he defined -- for the first time I've seen from anyone close to his level of responsibility and seniority -- the answer to a seemingly simple question: What is winning? He did it, not from a U.S. or Coalition strategic perspective, though, but from that of the average Afghan:
It's all very well thinking that it's wonderful that a commander on the ground starts asking the sort of questions our elites should have been asking 6 years ago, but the point is that in the absnece ofstrategic thinking from the elites no amount of thinking on the ground is going to make a difference. And if Obama thinks that sending in General Betray-Us with a surge is gonna be some cavalry charge that'll see off the bad guys I imagine we'll be having this conversation in 2011 & 2015.
They lost in vietnam and have been itching to get bogged down somewhere ever since. Now they're bogged down twice. You can't win against a whole population who fight a guerilla war against you. Nato would be insane to join them. keep to the Fen Causeway
