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| New Strategy in Afghanistan - Lower the Goal |
| 2009-10-09 |
| As it reviews its Afghanistan policy for the second time this year, the Obama administration has concluded that the Taliban cannot be eliminated as a political or military movement, regardless of how many combat forces are sent into battle. Based on a stark assessment by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, and six hours of debate among the senior national security staff members so far, the administration has established guidelines on its strategy to confront the group. Guidelines on strategy? The goal, senior administration officials said Thursday, is to weaken the Taliban to the degree that it cannot challenge the Afghan government or reestablish the haven it provided for al-Qaeda before the 2001 U.S. invasion. Those objectives appear largely consistent with McChrystal's strategy, which he says "cannot be focused on seizing terrain or destroying insurgent forces" but should center on persuading the population to support the government. I'd like to hear what the General thinks about the new guidelines-strategy, and how consistent he thinks it is with his assessment. Since he's been muzzled, I'll probably have to wait for the book. |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #4 again, what's the end-state w/these f*ckers? Go Real Politik and deal w/the less distasteful criminals? If they don't want to deal, kill them? I'm fine either way but Zero needs to come up w/a clearly defined and realistic commander's intent. Putting a bunch of Army guys in the bottom of a bowl in order to be close to the populace is prolly the wrong call. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2009-10-09 13:13 |
| #3 Designate the Taliban a terror org and go after them and anyone who deals with them. I hate when they politicize the military, especially when it is the old draft dodgers and hippies advising our Coward-in-Chief. |
| Posted by: Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2009-10-09 11:08 |
| #2 So we sit out a couple of rounds. Let the idiot tribes fight for whats left of the country -full scale civil war would be o.k. After about four years of this shit we can step back in and be the strong horse. |
| Posted by: bman 2009-10-09 10:54 |
| #1 the jackass needs to stand up and make his decision now. Were I him, I would give the General what he asked. This is not leadership, it is a meatgrinder. |
| Posted by: newc 2009-10-09 09:30 |