Leave Afghanistan Now

[unhappycamper]

Leave Afghanistan Now
Sunday 27 June 2010
by: William J. Astore, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed

Winston Churchill's memorable quotation, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few," captured the nobility of the RAF's performance protecting free people from the tyranny of Adolf Hitler during World War II.

An irreverent paraphrase of this quotation, however, captures the Afghan war as it stands at this moment: Never was so much squandered by so many for so few.

The United States is currently spending $7 billion a month on the Afghan war, yet progress remains elusive and the end nowhere in sight. Just read General Stanley McChrystal's own bleak assessment (which may have been a factor in his firing); several sobering metrics stick out:

* Counterinsurgency (COIN) is about securing population centers from violence. But of the 116 Afghan population centers assessed, 40 (or more than a third) were considered "dangerous" or "unsecure," with only five being judged "secure."

* A key element to the Afghan war is the span of control of the central government (led by Hamid Karzai). Remarkably, only five areas of Afghanistan (out of 122) are under the "full authority" of the Karzai government. In 89 areas, Karzai's authority was judged "non-existent," "dysfunctional," or "unproductive."

[Heidi]

1. Kick.

:kick:

[Catherina]

2. As in RIGHT now! n/t

[tekisui]

3. knr

[Angry Dragon]

4. Now would be a good time to leave

[G_j]

5. K&R!

[HCE SuiGeneris]

6. K & R