tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post842721778468313988..comments2024-03-22T05:20:44.167-07:00Comments on The Disaffected Lib: "Making Do" in AfghanistanThe Mound of Soundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-73606292763135499062008-02-21T21:02:00.000-08:002008-02-21T21:02:00.000-08:00Fish, I have to give you full points for unshakeab...Fish, I have to give you full points for unshakeable optimism. If you can find a way to bottle that, you'll be enormously wealthy.<BR/><BR/>Fighting the insurgency ought to be our greatest challenge and would that it were so but it's not. I think we face a much greater hurdle in the very government we're supposedly there to uphold- the corrupted and compromised Karzai/warlord regime. It's the foundation upon which all progress must rest and yet we're squandering lives and treasure to build on shifting sand.<BR/><BR/>Another 1,000 troops in Kandahar is an empty gesture, good enough for the political posturing but SFA in terms of the counterinsurgency mission. That would need to start at 15,000, especially given the Taliban resurgence in that province.<BR/><BR/>To those who support this farce I always ask them to show me one example where this size force employing the same tactics has succeeded and then explain to me why ours will prevail when none has before in the same circumstancese. Forget all the failures, just give me one success, just one. But if you can't give me one, then give me one explanation of why we should walk in the failed steps of those who've gone down this road before.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-37297589435766213102008-02-21T17:43:00.000-08:002008-02-21T17:43:00.000-08:00Well said MOS.Either we have to fight this war to ...Well said MOS.<BR/><BR/>Either we have to fight this war to win it, or we shouldn't be in it at all. <BR/><BR/>I know we've been over this before, but I'm not convinced that this war is unwinnable just yet.<BR/><BR/>To be fair (much as it pains me to come to Harper's defence), from what I've read, the motion essentially states that troops will be pulled out by 2009 if the additional NATO troops do not arrive. So at least the numbers concern is being addressed.<BR/><BR/>Just the same, I think it's still just as clear as ever that there needs to be an Afghani solution to this conflict. Unfortunately, history does not look kindly on this avenue. Nickson's "Vietnamization" phase of the Vietnam war did not prevent the Republic of Vietnam from falling, so one must wonder if there are any lessons that can be learned. Is there a more effective way of handing over the fight to Karzai?<BR/><BR/>I suppose the one key difference is that there is no "North Vietnam" to this conflict, only a "viet cong" type of guerilla that seeks to seize power. I think it might be possible to at least control the Taliban insurgency if the Afghani armed forces can get their act together (and then all we have to worry about is Karzai becoming the next Saddam, but hey, one problem at a time!)Fishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02726265917958181039noreply@blogger.com