Find the Exit SoonIt's true; the president said last year that U.S. troops would begin withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2011. But recent statements that troops might stay until 2014 — or later — makes next year's withdrawal sound less like the beginning of the end than the beginning of, um, well, you know, whenever. During a trip to meet with NATO allies in Lisbon, President Barack Obama said allies would hand Afghanistan over to Afghan security forces in 2014. Sooner would be better. But he also said it was "hard to anticipate" what the U.S. role would be after that. And that's sounding a lot more open-ended than an exit plan — emphasis on the word, "exit" — should sound. No doubt, more Afghan troops and police will be trained by 2014. But in serious doubt is whether the number trained will keep up with the number deserting. Also in doubt is whether the Afghan government will be any more savory or credible a partner in 2014 than it is in 2010, which is to say, corrupt and not credibly dependable at all. This is billed a "war of necessity" because it occurred directly as a result of an attack on the U.S.
Consider also the results of a poll of young men in Pashtun areas of the country: half said recent military operations were bad for the Afghan people; nearly 60 percent said it's wrong to work with foreign forces; 55 percent opposed military actions against the Taliban in their area; and 72 percent said their religion gets no respect from foreigners. Can these minds or hearts ever be won? Moreover, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, even as he accepts Iranian money to stay in power, routinely slams his U.S. "partner." Not very welcoming. The July 2011 withdrawal date should be the beginning of an end that comes right on its heels. REPRINTED FROM THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM
|
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
