It seems that all we’re seeing on the nightly news is “angry mobs” this and “health reform” that.
Meanwhile, troops are fighting and dying in Afghanistan during a withering assault on Taliban strongholds in the south of the country.
We’re not going to let that pass, so as events warrant, DT will be posting content or alerting readers to good material that will keep them up to date with what’s going on.
First, I’d like to mention that after a long hiatus, Michael Yon has agreed to contribute content to Military.com and its associated properties. Yesterday, Ward had a podcast interview with him even as bullets and rockets were wizzing by. The interview was so compelling, we penned a companion piece that ran as today’s lead story on Military.com. Please be sure to keep his site in your scan as he continues his embed through Christmas.
Also, I’d like to direct your attention to a compelling video posted on the Washington Post site shot by Ann Scott Tyson of said paper.
I’ve run in the same circles as Anne for many years on the defense beat, and she is polite, professional, persistent and compassionate. Well, add to the ballsy as hell, because the video she shot of a day long skirmish with Marines in Helmand is bad ass…and a tribute to her calm under fire and comfort with new media. She is one of those rare defense scribes that is as comfortable in a sit-down with SecDef Gates as she is bunking on a cot and eating warm MREs in the dust of Iraq or Afghanistan. Keep her content in your scan.
Watch the video, read the story, listen to the podcast…don’t ignore was going on over there in the still (for now) “forgotten war”…
– Christian
Lets not forget also the lack of strategy that is putting these brave soldiers at risk.… for what? To try and do the impossible. To export democracy to a society that only understands trial law all while trying to keep the president of Afghanistan… correction, the mayor of Kabul by any other name, in power. It is an undeveloped area of tribals that need poppy fields to help make money.
Soldiers at risk for what? No exist strategy and a lot of wasted money that could be better used in other areas of defense. Nation building trials is an even dumber mission than nation building.
Shoveling tons of cash into this mission isn’t especially bright. Misery accomplished.
ELP–
I think things are even worse than you say. Some of that wasted aid money is ending up in Taliban hands (of course). We’re effectively paying them to shoot at us.
Also ironic how we’re having trouble getting our own democracy to work for us these days, but we’re going to export it at gunpoint to these people… Why would they want it?
I’m going to wait for Gen. Stanley McChrystal to finish his fact finding mission, and for the Adminstration to finish its new metrics, before I start singing the tune that all is lost.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Anglo-Afghan_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Anglo-Afghan_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Anglo-Afghan_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_war_in_Afghanistan
Chapter Five coming soon…
We should have focused on killing Bin Laden and his crew, root and branch…then left the Afghans to do what they do best.
Right now, the stated aim is to get in the way of the opium trade and chase the Taliban into the hills away from the polling places. Cutting their funds and political power. I like it. I want more offensive operations like this and I commend DT on the continued reporting.
Christian, I applaud and commend you for this post elucidating the current situation in Afghanistan. Afghanistan hasn’t been a popular topic for the current administration (re:http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0809/26073.html) and the media (re:http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2009/07/mil-090716-afps03.htm). In fact, the media completely omitted reports about the Khanjar Operation.
And to the naysayers: this war is completely winnable. We need a full spectrum strategy that would encompass a propaganda campaign to portray AQ as heretics, subversion would negate their influence in the tribal regions. Take a new population centric approach to tactics and focus less on kinetic strikes (i.e. raids); just like we did in Iraq (get off of the FOB and into the population). Improve the infrastructure of Afghanistan; it’s an excellent way to give the locals jobs and subsequent AQ attacks would further alienate themselves with the local population, again, just like Iraq. Promote the legitimacy of the ANA; show that they are their own autonomous fighting force, not just US Auxiliaries. And perhaps most importantly make inroads with the Tribal population, show them that AQ will ultimately lead to their demise. However, if they opt to fight with us, they’ll be able to sustain their tribal identity and solidarity. This strategy was laid out in David Kilcullen’s book “The Accidental Guerrilla.” Kilcullen was an adviser to Petraeus, so he ostensibly knows what he is talking about.
love those fast zoomies..yeah, they got climate control, looked like a Harrier, gotta look again..its really comforting to know “big brother” is there, damn ya gotta love those Marines, so damn funny amist the chaos..tough mothers..