Syndicated columnist and ABC News contributor George Will must have known the firestorm that would be set off when his "Time to Get Out of Afghanistan" was published.
As a highly-respected conservative writer who's even held with some esteem by folks on the left, Will surely knew he was expressing a very unpopular position.
Yet, he still wrote it.
Subsequent to its contents being leaked before it appeared at the Washington Post, it seems a metaphysical certitude many NewsBusters readers heard about the piece and likely read opinions of it, but may not have taken the time to review it in its entirety.
Please do so, and then read what others have said about it (in no particular order):
- Rich Lowry
- WillIam Kristol
- Mark Levin
- Ramesh Ponnuru
- Peter Wehner
- Salon's Alex Koppelman
- Frederick Kagan
- Mark Steyn
- Joe Klein
- Cynthia Tucker
- Daniel McCarthy
- Michael Gerson
Who's right?
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
→ Yeah, I read it
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 17:42 ET by Cool ArrowAnd if I understand him completely, we really don't have the gumption to press on with this war.
We do not have a working understanding of the battlefield as it is in constant flux
We really can't make war on Afghanistan unless we're willing to poison the poppy crop. Even Obama can't buy enough arugula to replace that cash crop.
Will is right. This war will not be pursued as it should be for the next 3.5 years, but we will lose American soldiers.
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
→ Joe Klein
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 17:51 ET by Cool ArrowFor some real insight, read the comments after Joe Klein's offering.
These guys think we're going to go ballistic if Obama does the only thing he knows how to do.
We knew when he got elected he didn't have the vision to follow through on a war campaign.
Other campaigns, he knows. National Security and beyond? Didn't even need to impanel a jury on that one.
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
Klein blowz
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:45 ET by SickofLibsJoe Klein is a self-hating American and a self-hating Jew. Anything he has to say or any opinion he has holds ZERO water with me whatsoever. If he says up, I know it must be down.
During the nomination race and then the campaign, he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt he was nothing but a feckless, unapologetic Obama knob-polisher. Think Tingles in print.
We had a Time subscription for a while b/c my wife subscribed to get my kid some fundraising points, but the last straw was that absurd column he wrote chastising normal people on AGW because HE lived in a house in hot, humid DC with central air and never once used it, and never used his car AC either. I cancelled immediately. What a little terd.
→ SOL
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:22 ET by Cool ArrowMy comment didn't have anything to say about Klein being Jewish. I was commenting on the comments people who read his post left.
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
Are you sure about that, SoL?
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 21:46 ET by JerDuring the nomination race and then the campaign, he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt he was nothing but a feckless, unapologetic Obama knob-polisher. Think Tingles in print.
Are you sure about that, SoL?. Klein was looked upon with disfavor by the "progressive" Dems for his putative moderate/centrist views. I don't believe he was an Obama supporter during the "nomination race" despite your colorful assertions to the contrary. I could be mistaken, however. I'll check it out.
Jer
Go, now!
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:20 ET by OhmingNo more limited wars. If we stay, let the military have everything they want, ban the press, and get it done. Otherwise, lets get out now.
In the end, only Afgans can change Afganistan, only mexicans can defeat the cartels, only Africans (or attrition) can defeat AIDS there. They are what they are. I really don't think that anyone who has grown up here in our culture can fully understand them, and vice versa.
Agreed
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 20:51 ET by JustAlIraq is of much more strategic importance than Afganistan, our goal was to kick out the Taliban and that is done. It's time for the Afgans to man up and keep them out.
I don't want anymore of our people getting killed with one hand tied behind their back. Most Americans don't even know anyone who has served in the war on terror. My son, my brother's son, my brother's sister -in - law's son, my sister in law's son and her husband's nephew have served a total of 8 tours in this mess and now we have a C&C who thinks "Victory" isn't even a word that should be used.
And nothing but the truth.
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:14 ET by CrashWe cannot win a war ever again. There are too many lawyers involved. Hell we can't even use "lethal" bullets on the battlefield! Nor can we blow up a cemetery full of thugs for that matter! Having raged on about those points WE CANNOT LEAVE. Doing so will create a void. Natural laws dictate that something will come to take its place. Not only would we give the Taliban an instant recruiting tool ... again. But, China and Russia will finish what we have started with a scorched earth genocidal bloodbath. The only way we can change the war to our advantage is not by creating a government, but, by creating a heroic messiah in the land of myth and honey ... a poppies.
→ Crash
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:17 ET by Cool ArrowMaybe the American people have found a convenient way of weaseling out of such commitments that straddle an election cycle.
Wasn't that one of Obama's selling points? That he wasn't around when the decision was made?
To what extent Obama's election is due to America's disinterest in protracted prosecution of Iraq and Afghanistan may be quantifiable, and I've not seen the numbers.
But I think it's safe to say it's significant.
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
Another fine mess.
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:30 ET by Crash"Maybe the American people have found a convenient way of weaseling out of such commitments that straddle an election cycle."
Just look at the lack of genuine outrage over the release of the Lockerbie creep. With friends like them ...
The current administration would probably show leniency toward Bin Laden.
Noel. Did you mean..
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:23 ET by Gary HallWho's right.. and who's left? ( I tease, naturally)
I have to admit.. I saw the link of Will's view here, earlier, and simply did not have the 'will' in the moment to read it. Now, I suspect, it's on the night's reading agenda.
Whew!
(;~> gary
Aw hell, staying in
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:26 ET by Chris NormanAw hell, staying in Afghanistan was just a fig leaf for Obama to cover himself on charges that he was weak on defense in promising to get out of Iraq. Afghanistan was the "good" war, it was the "safe" war. As a mere politically expedient diversion, how much committment does anyone think he actually has to it?
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Chris... Glad I read some
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:50 ET by bigtimerChris...
Glad I read some of the posts first because yours is the closest I've read so far of how I feel about this when it comes to O and his agenda...at the expense of our military.
'Go Green...Recycle Congress'
So where are the huge numbers of IED that are Killing Americans
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:34 ET by upcountrywatercoming from?
Last month was the deadliest for the troops since the 2001 US-led
invasion, with 76 killed, the website says. Most deaths were in IED
strikes.
IED do not drop in from heaven. The shaped charges are manufactured some where, and to go after the source is not going to happen with the current CIC..
The big source is IRAN...
(Sure there some home made IED's from Pakistan).
The ONLY fix is to pull off Shock and Awe 2...While we still control the skies. The clock is ticking.
State controlled health care is Tort Reform.
ucw... Iran is the major
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:55 ET by bigtimerucw...
Iran is the major problem at the moment...and they aren't going to cease and desist anytime soon...something is going to have to give...soon.
Oh well...then there's Russia, China...Syria...on and on...let alone God knows how many working right here under our noses...Michigan is a nice little haven.
'Go Green...Recycle Congress'
Michigan? Is this in
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:58 ET by anonymous621Michigan? Is this in reference to the "Michigan Militia"?
621.... No...not what I
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:15 ET by bigtimer621....
No...not what I was thinking...more like quite the opposite. ;-)
'Go Green...Recycle Congress'
...
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:17 ET by CrashMichigan has the largest population of Muslims in the US.
Hamtramck, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:40 ET by MightyMouthI grew up in Taylor. The Muslims are everywhere (including a bunch from Iraq)!
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
→ Dearborn
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:44 ET by Cool ArrowIf Barack, the Magnanimous protector of Islam can only find a way to rid Dearborn of that evil Ford manufacturing facility.
Oh yeah! He's found a way.
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
Cool, it's wose than you think...
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 20:03 ET by MightyMouth"Greenfield Village" has been renamed to "Torch My Village".
"Henery Ford Museum has been renamed to "All the sh*t Muslums thought of First Museum" Curator: Barry Soreto.
The White Castles have been renamed to:" Camel Color Castles."
And finally: Signs above water coolers "Men Only" or "No Bitches Allowed!"
BTW the "All the sh*t Muslums thought of First Museum" has the original Rosa Parks bus! Problem is it, looks like this...
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
MM...I've also heard/read
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:58 ET by bigtimerMM...I've also heard/read Texas, Az and of course Minnesota.
For those of you interested, take a gander at this...Dearborn.
'Go Green...Recycle Congress'
All I can say is WoW BT!
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 20:23 ET by MightyMouthAll those happy fun loving Muslims NOT harassing people. Wait till the next generation of Muslim cops take control of Dearborn police dept. Those Christian guys would have been cavity searched with night sticks!
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
bt...Jumping in here...I can attest to Minnesota...
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 20:35 ET by PrairieSkyI'm in North Dakota, and whenever we are in Minneapolis anymore, Somali muslims are everywhere...They drive the cabs (where some have refused to take a customer if they have alcohol like wine, etc., with them or if they have a dog with them), they work in the airport (which makes me very nervous)...And after the business about all the Minnesota Somalians that have been disappearing of late and have mysteriously turned up back home working for Jihad, this is not good news for what is really a terrific (although liberal blue) city.
"The problem is not that people are taxed too little...the problem is that government spends too much." ~President Ronald Reagan
Sky and any others
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 20:42 ET by bigtimerSky and any others interested...did any of you see the three links I put on the OT...2 are very pertinent to what we are talking about as far as I am concerned, and about to happen right at the WH as well as on Capitol Hill.
I'm down towards the end of thread.
'Go Green...Recycle Congress'
bt...I saw what you posted above about...
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 20:51 ET by PrairieSkythe Sharia festival in Dearborn...Thanks for that, and I'm going to share it. Did I miss anything else?
"The problem is not that people are taxed too little...the problem is that government spends too much." ~President Ronald Reagan
Sky... Look on Open
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 21:04 ET by bigtimerSky...
Look on Open Thread like I tried to explained above if you have the time.
'Go Green...Recycle Congress'
bt...Okay...
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 21:08 ET by PrairieSkyGot it. Thanks-
"The problem is not that people are taxed too little...the problem is that government spends too much." ~President Ronald Reagan
bt That's right, blast 'em, Break their war machine, now..
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:45 ET by upcountrywaterI'm sick and tired of seeing display tables covered with Iranian war hardware...it's time to stop em..
As you know there will always be tons of fresh humans to portage the high tech, hardware in.
State controlled health care is Tort Reform.
I'm not sure how we can
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:35 ET by MidAmericaI'm not sure how we can win in Afghanistan when most of the residents there do not know they live in Afghanistan, they are loyal to tribe and warlords. It will take years educating a new generation of young people to mold a nationalistic identity.
The Taliban are not finite force that can be rooted out by conventional military force.. It is an idea. They are like the entrenched gangs that infest our inner cities. The gangs are our Taliban and we can't get rid of them no matter how much 'firepower' we bring in or how many we send to prison. New recruits just take their place.
Why would any sane person
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:49 ET by RR GOPWhy would any sane person think that a guy who's columns appear in the equivalent of the Socialist Daily Worker is a "conservative"?
On the other hand, I can see the argument that Dear Leader's heart is not in the Afghanistan thing (though he lied during the campaign and deemed it the "good war" along with his Leftard minions) and His Oneness like the rest of the anti-American Bozos who are actually elated when a GI buys the farm, are too incompetent to prosecute the war anyway.
But, like when Nixon took over and started kicking Commie butt unlike his inept predecessor, the Left got in a tizzy about that, too.
In their sick ideological circle jerk, only Americans are supposed to lose wars and die...'cept for Muslim suicide bombers, uh, that's OK.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 86% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
What needs to be done to win
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:51 ET by Anchor89As George Will points out, war is hell. Consequently, in a democracy, the People constantly need to be convinced by their leaders why the horrible cost is worth it. Since the election both the American people and the Taliban sense that the Administration is simply not capable of making this argument because they don't believe it themselves. Can we win in Afghanistan? Yes, but only with inspiration from the top that currently does not seem to exist.
Will
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 18:53 ET by charlietexasI agree with him. Get out. Obama is no commander in chief. They are pussys that have no feelings for our troops or a mission. So far he hasn't liberated one person and has let both theatres become vulnerable to our enemy. If we can't win and go home, go home.
First of all, let's dispel
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:06 ET by jdhawkFirst of all, let's dispel this notion that Will is a conservative. He has spent he career at ABC and WaPo. These are two of our nation's premier liberal socialist propaganda machines. That he sits there week after week on the ABC propaganda show surrounded, derided, and poked fun of by liberals tells you something of his character. That he would write such a piece in the WaPo tells you even more.
Bambi, the first stupid liberal, is just waiting for some "conservative" to champion pulling out of Afghanistan. Will, conveniently, gives him his opening.
Of course, what Will doesn't tells us is what do we do after we "pull out?" As we well know, the reason that we went in there at all was the danger the Taliban posed to the regional nuclear power, Pakistan. That threat hasn't dimished. Until it does, we stay.
What Will might have offered is denouncing the dunce, Gen. David McKiernan, who was for all practical purposes relieved of his command and give our new commander there, Gen. Stanley McChrystal a chance. He is only been in command since mid June.
No, not Will, instead, he throws up his hands and suggests that we pull out and leave a token force there. Isn't this what we conservatives accused the liberals of doing when the "surge" was announced by President Bush? Yeah, I thought so.
Regarding Will's reference to Bismarck, what happened following the Franco-Prussian war was that parts of France were annexed to the new Germany. The upshot was that France fought two world wars against Germany in the next century. Prussia would have been better to have taken Paris and thus France and destroyed its will to fight again. That it didn't, utlimately doomed Germany to defeat.
jdhawk... You reminded me
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:13 ET by bigtimerjdhawk...
You reminded me of something concerning Will...wasn't it his home that O decided to have a dinner party with regarding other so-called conservatives...which by the way, I'm not implying that some that attended aren't...it is always in the eye of the beholder...but you have me pondering about that deal at this time...makes me wonder.
'Go Green...Recycle Congress'
have to disagree with you
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 21:21 ET by mvfreeman"The upshot was that France fought two world wars against Germany in the
next century. Prussia would have been better to have taken Paris and
thus France and destroyed its will to fight again. That it didn't,
utlimately doomed Germany to defeat. "
Remember the old joke about why the streets of Paris are lined with trees?
In WWII Germany rolled through France like a fork cuts French toast and installed the Vichy government under Petain. That took less than a year after they invaded Poland.
They did exactly what you proposed Bismarck should have done, but ultimately, to no avail.
Most military historians agree that what screwed Germany was Hitler's decision to invade Russia before he finished off Great Britain.
MV, what I was getting at
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 23:02 ET by jdhawkMV, what I was getting at was the folly of piece meal measures toward an enemy. An enemy must be totally and utterly destroyed. Its will to fight extinghuished.
It seems to me that Will was making the point that enough was enough and to back off in Afghanistan, but continue on with a token force somehow. This will just piss off our enemy, give them more reasons to continue or at least get even, and lead to many more casualties civilian and military.
Bismarck did the same in the Franco-Prussian War. He hesitated at Paris, but shafted the French at the peace table. It made the French Germany's enemy for year to come. They got even following WWI with annexation and severe reparations. Like France before it, when Germany rose from the ashes of WWI, it started WWII and went right back after the French.
What is missed in all this, is the regional nuclear power that is Pakistan. That is the real prize of this conflict. While the Taliban and the forces of radical Islam put up just enough resistance to inflict casualties, lower morale, and expend our national treasure, they are working toward emerging as the political power in Pakistan. Should they become that, they would hold sway over the entire region with nuclear power and missle delivering systems capable of threatening countries up to 1500 miles away.
'Will' in Afghanistan
Wed, 09/02/2009 - 06:03 ET by AgnosticWhile I agree with the sentiment of letting Gen. Stanley McChrystal have his chance there is the fact that he has already been told by President Obama's advisors not to ask for more troops even though he has made the assertion in interviews that more troops are needed.
If the administration is already tying his hands any plans he may have to improve the conditions in Afghanistan are going to be useless. The same tribal and decentralized leadership problems that existed in Iraq are magnified in Afghanistan but a real danger exist due to the geography. IMHO, it was the geography of Iraq that made it a more appropriate target in the WOT than Afghanistan.
A person may be won over with logic and reason but the masses must be bought with spectacle and platitudes. - 2008 Elections
it was the geography of
Wed, 09/02/2009 - 17:14 ET by Jerit was the geography of Iraq that made it a more appropriate target in the WOT than Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, bin Laden, Al-Qaeda's upper command, and their Taliban enablers were and still are in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It would be nice if we could entice them to come over to an isolated part of west Texas where we could pen them up and beat the holy crap out of 'em. But we don't always get to choose the turf.
Jer
West Texas?
Thu, 09/03/2009 - 03:14 ET by AgnosticIf I take this as an exaggeration instead of sarcasm than of course you are correct in that you don't always get to pick your battle ground but as a leader you do your best to obtain objectives with greatest benefits for the output of assets; assets includes American lives. The main objective of Afghanistan was seen as being too costly without regional support and forced the US to draw back after meeting the primary objective of routing the Taliban. Pakistan was never really seen as a potential target because they at least offer a type of alliance even though they aren’t truly very supportive. The second target would have been Iran but there was a lack of support for armed invasion and the atmosphere in Iran has been ripe for a couple of decades for political upheaval which was an action supported by the previous administration. Essentially a war in Iran would bind the people of Iran to leaders they normally would want to follow along with being a very difficult war would be very costly in the terms of assets and PR. Finally you come to the third option which is Iraq. Iraq will cost less in assets and if converted to Democracy would offer some of the regional pressure needed to contain the Taliban and keep Pakistan and Afghanistan off balance enough to prevent any one group from obtaining enough support to be a regional influence. No, you can't always choose the battle ground but it is ignorant and short sighted to blindly follow your enemy.
However, in the modern day with anti-war crowd ready to pounce on any military mistake and turn any civilian death into the equivalent of Attila's armies massacring entire villages there seems to be necessary that a balance be drawn between the impact of military actions and the PR nightmare that will be created. In a war that was highly successful in many facets the previous US administration lost the PR war at home. A war in Afghanistan would require more money, lives and a longer more involved occupation and even though the Democrats now they can count on a more forgiving media than the previous administration this is more than I believe President Obama and his Czars are willing to commit. In some respects I understand the logic behind this but the fact that he made a lot of political arguments about the necessity of the war in Afghanistan for political reasons (i.e. Bush's Iraq war wrong - Afghanistan good to look strong on defense) will be translated as a lack of respect for the military and as playing politics with the lives of service men and women if he pulls support for the war now.
Our current position is the backsliding because Iraqi government doesn't have the full support of the people. The reasons are many but the main reason is they lack a history that could give a jaded population the necessary foundation for trust. This could only be accomplished with time and that is what the Iraqi government ran out of when the pull-out was accelerated. In Iran the potential for political revolution reached a head with no support from the US under the current administration so I believe we lost a potential ally albeit an ally that would have never truly been supportive of the US actions in the ME. All this is making the military goals in Afghanistan more difficult by the day and it will be interesting to see what happens.
A person may be won over with logic and reason but the masses must be bought with spectacle and platitudes. - 2008 Elections
Agnostic...
Thu, 09/03/2009 - 18:27 ET by JerWhile I have just a moment, let me say the "West Texas" quip was probably a combination of exaggeration and sarcasm, with a trace of flippancy thrown in the mix--which is unfair because your comments and analyses are consistently well-reasoned, knowledgeable and thought-provoking. So, please accept my apologies if my words were somewhat ill-chosen. I hope to expand my response later.
Jer
levity needed
Fri, 09/04/2009 - 03:57 ET by AgnosticWhat I lacked in levity I made up for in typing mistakes.
I look forward to your response.
A person may be won over with logic and reason but the masses must be bought with spectacle and platitudes. - 2008 Elections
Well, let's also dispel
Wed, 09/02/2009 - 00:57 ET by JerWell, let's also dispel the silly notion that Bill Buckley was a conservative, since he spent a big chunk of his career at another liberal/socialist propaganda machine--PBS..and also advocated withdrawal from Iraq.
Jer
There we go again with the dead guy.
Thu, 09/03/2009 - 03:22 ET by JWFA guy that died during the darkest days in Iraq and could not see his opinion through to the end.
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
Where the hell is all this NATO involvement?
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:17 ET by lsudolemiteWhy is the primary burden for this war only on the U.S., Canada, Britain, and token support from a handful of eastern European countries? Since this is a "legitimate" war, unlike Iraq according to the libs, nations from every corner of the earth should be chomping at the bit to send forces to Afghanistan.
If George Will is a conservative, then I am the Sheik of Arabee
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:29 ET by R D HelmHaving said that, if comrade chairman Obama cannot bring himself to let the military go full-out and win this thing quickly and decisevely, then perhaps we should leave.
We do not need to make the same mistakes that were made in Vietnam, which was essentially to fight with one hand tied behind our backs while dropping bombs on clumps of trees and truck parks.
-Dave
Even when the government tries to kiss you, it is just a prelude to a good screwing. -Neal Boortz
For the benefit of you
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 19:36 ET by QueenMumFor the benefit of you youngsters who may not recognize Dave ... ah, I mean the Sheik of Araby. Note that this was before Dave was in color. :)
"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out
of other people's money."
—Margaret Thatcher
Yeah, I botched the spelling.
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 21:35 ET by R D HelmLOL.
-Dave
Even when the government tries to kiss you, it is just a prelude to a good screwing. -Neal Boortz
Will I start to feel lonely about yet another war?
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 20:52 ET by JWF95% of the article is about what is wrong with Afghanistan. 5% is what he wants to do. None as to why and what happens after that?
I know what to do. Let's move right wing radio to the Swat valley, including the radio towers, equipment, hosts, everything. Give the taliban jobs running and working in right wing radio.
The left much as Islam itself feeds on hate. Hate of right wing radio and the idea's that come out of it. They can now focus on wiping everything out in the taliban's stronghold. They will be galvinized and we will win. Once we get everything settled there, move the towers, equipment and hosts to the next problem area.
Helmand province. Rush lies in Helmand! Hannity lies in Helmand! Victory in Helmand.
Nuclear production plants in Iran. Rush lies in the Nuke Plants! Bomb them now!
San Francisco. Rush lies in San Francisco. Wipe that city off the map!
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
Unless we are willing
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 21:24 ET by Delsato take the tops off the mountains and give our Marines the high ground then I think Will is right.
He who controls the high ground ...
This administration has NO concept of what needs to be done.
ALL OUT OR GET OUT!
A few questions for George Will:
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 21:24 ET by BarkerWhy now?
Why not then?
Are you saying the war is lost?
Where there's a Will ...
Wed, 09/02/2009 - 08:52 ET by Crash... there isn't a way.
Guerilla War
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 21:25 ET by ParagrouperThe objective of a Guerilla (aka insurgency) war is to discredit your opponent until they;
A. Give up
B. Are convinced by other nations to give up; sometimes, as in the case of the American Revolution, by force..
One of the key targets is your opponent's civilian population--convince them it isn't worth fighting and you are well on your way to a successful Guerilla campaign. Another important aspect of Guerilla War is that you do not have to seize and hold territory to win--you just have to survive. That makes it very diffcult--no matter the size of your force--to pin the guerilla fighters down and destroy them. If it gets too hot, they just "run away to fight another day." If Guerilla fighters have a weak point, it's resources; they need guns, money and bodies in order to persevere.
My opinion is that if we want to "win" in Afghanistan we (Americans) need to:
A. define what "win" means
B. Acknowledge that it will be a long and difficult conflict
C. Fight to win
That doesn't just mean more "boots on the ground" that means fighting the war in a variety of ways to convince other countries (wonder who they might be) that it is not in their interest to support the Guerilla fighters. Those battles are fought in the media, diplomatic circles and the World market place. Most importantly, it requires that we support our government, particularly our troops, down a long difficult road.
If we, Americans, are not willing to do that then we have no business engaging Afghanistan, or anyone else for that matter, in war.
"Beware the fury of the patient man." - John Dryden
I didn't read the piece,
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 22:14 ET by ckc1227I didn't read the piece, but considering Obama said a few weeks ago that winning isn't the goal, we may as well get out.
Afghanistan
Tue, 09/01/2009 - 23:38 ET by LorraineA review of history, from Alexander the Great to the Soviet Union, will show that our chances of winning this war are pretty slim. These were a backward people even in Alexander's time.
Maybe if we had unlimited resources and no rules of engagement we might have a chance. But constrained by budget, people, and lawyers, we don't.
If we "pull out"..
Wed, 09/02/2009 - 00:47 ET by Paul Gdoctors have shown us the rhythm doesn't work
i agree as well-
Wed, 09/02/2009 - 08:39 ET by JIMMY1660bring our men and women home from all over the world. Protect the American borders-and if there is an issue and the responsibility for that issue is found to be Afghanistan- surgical nukes-with extreme prejudice.is the only answer that will stop the insanity of these radical muslims. and let them know, it will not be one or two nukes-it will continue until the issue is resolved.
BHO- THE PROGRESSIVE PIRATE