More Bad News Out of Southern Afghanistan Posted by Michael Cohen

Has anyone noticed that every day this week there has been a major story highlighting the strategic incoherence of US efforts in southern Afghanistan? 

First on Monday, we have reports that the training of the Afghan military is way behind where it needs to be and that the military may have "deliberately exaggerated" its effectiveness. On Tuesday came word that President Karzai is increasingly isolated and lashing out at those around him confirming the long-held view that he is a poor partner for a counters-insurgency operation. Yesterday, there was a major story about how the US is no longer waging an "offensive" in Kandahar, but instead will focus on supplying "government aid" to the city while guaranteeing security. I have not a clue as to how that is supposed to work. Then there was also news that 10 NATO soldiers, including 7 Americans were killed in insurgent attacks and 39 Afghans were killed in a wedding celebration.

Finally, word comes today from Rajiv "He Really Needs to Win a Pulitzer" Chandrasekaren that the military is now acknowledging Marjah is not working out the way they planned.

"The longer-than-expected effort to secure Marja is prompting alarm among top American commanders that they will not be able to change the course of the war in the time President Obama has given them."

I'll tell you what the argument sounds really familiar - because I made it 4 months ago.

Even if it made strategic sense to try and pacify Helmand . . . why are we doing this now? Why aren't we waiting until more of the US surge capacity is in country; why don't we wait until the Afghan military is better able to accompany the US on missions like this one?

... This fixation with Helmand is that it appears to directly contradict President Obama's guidance to General McChrystal that he shouldn't send troops to places that can't potentially be handed over to the Afghan security services in 18 months. 

Trying to clear, hold and build in a region that is inhospitable to ISAF and Karzai government - when you have a civilian leadership that has made clear there is a timeline for withdrawal in place -- just makes very little sense.

Rajiv's piece goes on to highlight the emptiness of McChrystal's government in a box, the lack of security and governance for local Afghans, the Taliban's continued ability to intimidate and murder the civilian population, the complete failure of the Afghan army and police. None of this should be a surprise to anyone; especially General McChrystal who highlighted many of these problems in his August review . . . and yet still sent troops into Marjah based on dubious expectations of Afghan support.

Spencer believes that the fact McChrystal is taking to heart to the failures of Marjah in his assessment of the Kandahar operations is an example of the "intellectual and strategic flexibility you want in your commanding general." That is a tad overly generous. Shouldn't appropriate criticism be directed at M4 for not seeing these problems in the first place. My gosh, the man has been the commanding general in Afghanistan for a year. How is any of this a surprise?

And frankly where is the outrage. Every day produces a steady drumbeat of stories highlighting precisely how incoherent and unrealistic our mission in Afghanistan really is  . . . and yet no one, particularly on the left, seems to care.

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