Commentary: Afghanistan
Published in De Twentsche Courant Tubantia
(Netherlands) on 22 December 2008
by Editorial (link to
original)
The United States is sending 20,000 to 30,000 more soldiers to Afghanistan. It is the American response to the bloodiest year since the invasion of the country in 2001. The number of troops is almost doubled, a decision that is in line with the vision of the new president, Barack Obama.
He already indicated in his campaign that getting out of Iraq needs to be done as soon as possible, so that the focus can change to Afghanistan. The increased military employment is necessary to deal with increased activities of the Taliban, and other combative groups.
However, in light of the Vietnam War, for instance, "the more troops, the more fighting," the deeper the swamp.
These kinds of problems can rarely be settled with violence. At a certain point, only negotiation is left. That was true in Vietnam with the Vietcong fighters, and it is no different in Afghanistan.
It's understandable that military deployment is used to keep the pressure on the Taliban and the warlords, but tanks without talks, and machine guns without good civil administrators, doesn't make sense.
Construction is only possible with consensus and with charismatic Afghans, who are trusted by broad layers of the people.
That step needs to be made in 2009.
Otherwise, the American decision last weekend is purely symbolic.
He already indicated in his campaign that getting out of Iraq needs to be done as soon as possible, so that the focus can change to Afghanistan. The increased military employment is necessary to deal with increased activities of the Taliban, and other combative groups.
However, in light of the Vietnam War, for instance, "the more troops, the more fighting," the deeper the swamp.
These kinds of problems can rarely be settled with violence. At a certain point, only negotiation is left. That was true in Vietnam with the Vietcong fighters, and it is no different in Afghanistan.
It's understandable that military deployment is used to keep the pressure on the Taliban and the warlords, but tanks without talks, and machine guns without good civil administrators, doesn't make sense.
Construction is only possible with consensus and with charismatic Afghans, who are trusted by broad layers of the people.
That step needs to be made in 2009.
Otherwise, the American decision last weekend is purely symbolic.
Afghanistan is another lost cause because of the Bush administration!
More troops are just more wasted lives on both sides!