PLAYING "WHACK-A-MOLE" IN AFGHANISTAN (Cont'd)

In the last blog I talked about some of the history and
demographics of Afghanistan (Af.). I will turn now to
current U. S. policy there. In the latest Newsweek
(10/12/09), Jonathan Alter wrote about "Six lessons
of Vietnam." After reviewing the lessons, he went on
to say "Vietnam analogies can be treacherous." If that
is so, why is he using them? Of course, any analogies
can be misused, as he goes on to demonstrate: "Unlike
the Viet Cong, the much-despised Taliban aren't au-
thentic Afghan nationalists." That's true: they are
Pashtuns first and foremost. The same for the Tajiks,
the Uzbeks, and so on. What the Taliban are, that the
others aren't, is fanatical Islamists. They are as dedi-
cated to Islamic fundamentalism as the Viet Cong were
to nationalism! Where's the difference? A difference
that makes no difference is no difference (Wm. James).
He goes on to add: "And unlike Vietnam, where U. S.
national security was not at stake, safe haven for Al
Qaeda could lead to another attack." This too is com-
plete nonsense: al Qaeda won't attack us again unless
and until they have a "safe haven" in Afghanistan?
Aren't they (unlike the Taliban) international? Don't
they have strong groups in Yemen and Somalia, to name
a few? This is the false premise, pushed by Gen. Petra-
eus, and bought hook, line, and sinker, by Obama, that
Af. is somehow crucial to our security from Qaeda. Pet-
raeous likes to point out that "the origins of 9/11 were in
Kandahar." So as long as we keep them out of Kandahar,
we're good? They can't do plotting anywhere else? And
this passes for strategic thinking, endorsed by pundits?
(And parroted by the neo-cons?) God help us!

Henry Kissenger (HK) wrote a more informative and bet-
ter reasoned review of our situation in the same (10/12/09)
issue of Newsweek. He wants us to give Gen. McCrystal
the additional troops he is requesting. And he has no pro-
lem using analogies from Vietnam. He says "the prevailing
strategy . . . is based on the classic anti-insurrection doc-
trine: to build a central government, commit it to the im-
rovement of the lives of its people, and then protect the
population until the government's own forces are able."

But then HK has to admit we are pouring our water into an
extremely leaky bucket, with a long, long ways to go! Af.
is not now and never has been a nation, except in maps
drawn by the Brits in 1893. Never, ever. "Afghanistan has
been governed, if at all," says HK, "by a coalition of local
feudal or semi-feudal rulers." (They're called "war lords",
Henry.) "In the past," he continues, "any attempt to endow
the central government with overriding authority has been
resisted by established local rulers. Now here's the clincher
from HK that spells doom for the current strategy (which,
remember) he himself supports: "That (the resistance by
local rulers) is likely to be the fate of any central govern-
ment in Kabul, regardless of its ideological colorization,
and perhaps even its efficiency . . . Can a civil society be
built on a national basis in a country which is neither a
nation nor a state? (emphasis mine.)

Here HK ably explains the flaw in the strategy he supports!
He supports it, he says, because all other options are equally
bad. He doesn't mention the endemic corruption in the
country, or the opium money feeding it and the Taliban and
the war lords, or that the people being trained in the national
army, when push comes to shove, will remain loyal and obedi-
ent to family, tribe, ethnic group and war lord over a national
government they regard as weak and corrupt and dependent
on foreign powers that keep blowing up wedding parties from
drones overhead.

In short, as numerous experts have opined, the Taliban pro-
bably can't be defeated by any number of foreign troops.
They are natives. They know the language, the culture, the
terrain, the people, and they have a safe haven across the
border in Pakistan. As Fareed Zakaria has said, "Unless
the problem with Pakistan is solved, the war in Afghanistan
can't be won." Don't hold your breath!

Let me hear what you think!

Jgoodwin004@centurytel.net