The problem with Afghanistan is that every prescription has a noxious side-effect; every answer raises more questions.
The Taliban is trying to disrupt the second round of the Afghan elections, hence today’s attack on UN staff in Kabul. Having risked death to vote in the first round, and seeing how the government tried to cheat to stay in power, it seems likely that many Afghans won’t bother to vote on 7 November. Who can blame them?
The Americans say democracy is the answer to Afghanistan’s problems, but democracy works well in places where politicians define themselves by ideology, not in countries like Afghanistan where ethnicity is all.
If the Americans abandon their project to keep the Taliban at bay, it’s hard to see how the weak Afghan government can cling on. Sending in more foreign troops is bad as more people will die, and success – meaning stability and development – is unlikely. But withdrawing is also bad, as Afghanistan would likely fragment further as warlords battled for power and territory, some undoubtedly sheltering al-Qaida again.
A counsel of despair comes from Matthew P Hoh, the US Senior Civilian Representative in Zabul Province. In his letter of resignation last month he wrote, “I fail to see the value or worth in continued US casualties or expenditures of resources in support of the Afghan government in what is, truly, a 35-year-old civil war.”
When the US and its allies started this fight eight years ago, many Afghan Talibs and al-Qaida fighters, including Osama bin Laden, moved to Pakistan’s tribal areas. Now the Pakistani military – which once sheltered these people and still has sympathy for them – is battling to clear them from their stronghold in Waziristan. As a result, many may be pushed back into Afghanistan.
In Pakistan, the militants take their revenge in daily bombing – this morning up to 90 were killed in Peshawar.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who’s visiting Islamabad, said, “This is our struggle as well,” but many Pakistanis say they don’t want US aid and support. When President Obama came to office, he said it was impossible to separate the problems of Afghanistan and Pakistan. He was right, but good analysis doesn’t always lead to effective action, and America’s options are decreasing daily.
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What a depressing situation.It took the Russians several years to realise that Afghanistan is a lost cause.
I believe the Americans and possibly us Brits are realising what a futile and dreadful unwinnable war Bush and Blair led us into.Gordon is unwilling to finance it properly yet does not shirk from sending young men into an arena of possible death.
If the argument is to stop terroism,lets tighten up our borders .Stop anyone from entering this country from either Pakistan or Afghanistan and anyone who wishes to leave these shores to visit either should be refused return.
i can not believe no one else has an opinion on such an important debate
if you hate blair and other warmongers can you sign my petition at http://www.gopetition.com/online/31785.html thanks lets get them
It is not that we don’t have an opinion Adrian,Lindsey has outlined the tensions and contradictions above The 35 years struggle in Afghan will not go away. Our continued presence, if it is doing anything at all,keeps al- Quaida at bay, or at least that is the theory .More troops mean more deaths.We do not know what would happen if we pulled out. dare we risk it?
She also speaks of the futility of democratisation as ideological social structure is religiocentric. That argument does not convince me though Democracy is still workable to some extent, if perhaps in a dilute representation.
How do we stop the violent rivalry? by more violence? I used to be a CND supporter, but we cannot give in to terrorism or an increased threat.
do you work in whitehall?
I try not to HATE anyone . It causes wars.
even if blair bush cheyney and others manufactered the war of terror blaming muslims by doing inside jobs false flag terrorism things never change unless you fight back
i am with others trying to stop another world war
unintelligent services at it again in pakistan
alan johnson looks by his face that he likes a very big glass of whiskey
nutty professor tells dopey secretary a few home truths
milliband in moscow thinking how important he is hiding behind the unintelligent services a lying coward with a big ego
the poor troops in all wars are pawns for the ruling classes to hold people in bondage
I listened yesterday on CNN to Matthew P. Hoh. He explained and analysed so well and it made so much sense – why we, our polacies, western ideals, armed forces will not succeed and even more create alienation from the Locals to our efforts. We the general public are becoming very aware and raising our opinions, why are the politicians not wanting to hear or adjust the approach to all of this? And, if I was in Pakistan I would have booed cynically, after all the bombings and loss of civilian life in Pakistan – ? perpetrators apart – when Mrs Clinton said ‘This is our struggle as well’ – I didn’t know USA lived in health hazard housing, no electrics, no sewerage, bombs going off, their places of worship bombed and it only looks to be getting worse for them. Put the money and effort into their positive priorities and overcome terrorism and civil war by stealth. I would disagree with Mr Hoh on one thing – he made it sound as if USSR had gone into Afghanistan for the sake of the general population. They did not I think, they, the Kremlin thought it would be easy to go in at that point of civil war and gain more territory for the USSR and communism.
i hope cheyney bush and others are feeling guilty about new warship uss new york some how i very much doubt it
cia and other muppets keeping puppet president in afganistan in power
cameron going back on promise of referendum no one asking what the people want no more politicians with their lies
how many more deaths will there be before the truth is told
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