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Can the Right War Be Won?
Summary --
Two new books offer insightful analyses of how to succeed in Afghanistan. But the sheer difficulty of the task points to the need for an alternative strategy -- one that defends U.S. interests without trying to rebuild a shattered country.
Related
Postscript, April 9, 2009
With its new policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Obama administration has taken ownership of an orphaned conflict. But can it achieve victory, and how?
Snapshot, April 15, 2009
The Taliban and al Qaeda may not pose enough of a threat to the United States to make a long war in Afghanistan worth the costs.
Essay, JUL/AUG 2009
The deployment of more U.S. troops to Afghanistan is necessary to tip the balance of power against the Taliban. But this military "surge" must be accompanied with a political one designed to persuade insurgents to give up their fight.
Comments
Can The Right War be Won?
To Editor:
Steven Simon (Can the Right War Be Won?July August 2009 ) did not address the interests of natives of Afghanistan as regards occupation of their land, as a counter offensive to al Queda terrorism. Of course , not all afghans were involved in these actions and they are also victims of these terroristic organizations. For them to accept the occupation of their land, they have to benefit in their daily life. Allied forces in Afghanistan has to recognise the interests of Afghans to progress as regards work, per capita income and to be taught how to make a living. USA spends more than 60 billion $ per year in Afghanistan, if it considers less than 10 billion $ for building industries in the area of North alliance away from Pachtun territories will fulfill this purpose. If United States Government guarantees the profits and compensaton for american multinational companies specialized in garment and textiles industries ( labor intensive )to build factories in safe areas of the north, Afghans will have a source of income and will be taught how to be productive. In the meantime, they have to guard these factories against terroristic attacks. In the same issue of Foreign Affairs , Fotini Christia and Michael Simple under the title Flipping the Taliban, How to Win in Afghanistan? suggested to form a militia of 250000 insurgents and to give every one about 120 $ a month (about 30 million $ amonth ).The same was successfuly done in Iraq but these people has to have some work to do for their future. If this project succeeds, especially after opening U.S. markets for these products, Afghans will move from the south to the north and Taliban will be isolated and these workers will fight Taliban.
In the meantime as I know, no effort was done to counteract the extremist ideas of al Queda and Taliban. Agroup of informed clerics about Islam needs to be recruited to give lectures about the real Islam during Friday Prayer in Afghani towns and villages. The knowledge of Moslems in Afghanistan as regards Islam religion is defective because most if not all of them could not read or speak arabic language by which the rules of Islam are written. This is combined with high illiteracy rate in Afghanistan.
Dr. Medhat Khafagy
Acting Chief of Ibn Khaldun Center for Developmental Studies
Cairo, Egypt, 11341
Email medhatkhafagy@hotmail.com
Tel: 01120122123148
Address: 4 Dr Hassan Mahmoud St. Golf Area, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt, 11341
One can only hope that
One can only hope that General Mc Chrystall has read " A Bright Shining Lie" the history of General John Vann's attempts to poscecute a similar war in Vietnam over many years. He firmly rejected the Pentagon's "shock and awe" policy, however the late Robert McNamara, Westmorland, Abramas and the rest of the bright guys weren't convinced and the rest is history.
This as much a war against social and political corruption, hearts and minds by imposing law and order.
A Police action???
Can the right war be won?
Dear Sir / Madam,
I read with interest the article and comments concerning the war in Afghanistan. It seems an attractive option to promote more friendly Afghans and attempt to isolate the Taliban controlled, Pashtun dominated parts of the nation. However, this can only serve to reinforce the Taliban's line that the West are in Afghanistan to fight on the side of ethnic minorities at the Pathans’ expense.
I believe that the majority of the efforts to rebuild, modernise, and educate Afghans has to be conducted in Pashtun dominated territory, with a view to driving a wedge into Taliban controlled areas. It is an all too common mistake made by Western commentators that the Pathans are a united ethnic group. They are, in fact, constituted of four tribal factions which have been in almost constant, and sometimes violent, dispute with one another. This surely creates an opportunity for Western forces to split off more liberal Pathans who chafe under strict Taliban rule.
This can only be achieved with a "clear, hold and secure" strategy which includes the calling of a jirga of local leaders to discuss how they want to progress. Afghans have shown time and again that they will not have change thrust upon them "top down" but, not surprisingly, insist on self determination. Previous efforts at this type of intervention / mediation have unfortunately been hastily undone by a meddlesome Pakistan and Saudi proselytising. One hopes that they are truly "on board" this time round or any and all future efforts will be for nought.