What is the plan in Afghanistan?

The messages surrounding the Afghan war seem mixed to say the least.


(Image: Explosive sniffer dog overlooking Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Credit to Carl Montgomery for the photo.)

Washington Post: US Officials Offer Dismal Review of War in Afghanistan


They call it a challenge 'much tougher than Iraq'. Well what did you expect! You know Afghanistan's tribal/xenophobic history. They just don't like foreigners, and will drag the fight on until you leave. Simple.

"Afghanistan has been known over the years as the graveyard of empires," he said. "We cannot take that history lightly." - General Petraeus, head of US Command.

Exactly - which is why it would be best to leave sooner rather than later. The economies of the ISAF countries, especially the US, cannot afford the war to drag on. I have some sympathy for the military commanders in Afghanistan - like ex-CIA man Ray McGovern, they probably realise they are stuck in an unwinnable war.


(Image: the road to Bamiyan, Aghnainstan. An example of the difficult terrain our forces have to fight in.)

(Image: Ukrainian war memorial to their dead in the 1980s Afghan War. That conflict lasted ten years, and played a part in the collapse of the Soviet Union.)

Meanwhile...Afghanistan's Karzai Offers Peace to 'Friendly Taliban' (VOANews)

A good idea to try and 'divide and conquer' the Taliban. But, history shows the Afghan mountain-dwellers tend to stand united against foreigners; the only time they are divided is when they go back to fighting each other once the outsiders are dispatched.

All of this set against the background of Obama's Afghan-Pakistani surge policy...I am not convinced as to the purposes and merits of the Afghan campaign.

But hey, the CIA probably loves the other 'surge'; opium production since the invasion has increased to 93% of world production in 2007. The Taliban outlawed opium cultivation, and in 2001 the output was 91% lower than in 2000. But since their ousting, production has soared. (Am I suggesting the lovely people in the US Federal government would deal drugs? No. I'm telling you.)

Anyways, squeal all you want about 'getting behind the cause' or some such, the war is unwinnable and should be ended ASAP.