"Why are we still here?" Jaffe

Earlier this year, Lt. Col. Joseph Ryan concluded that his 800-soldier battalion was locked in an endless war for an irrelevant valley.

"There is nothing strategically important about this terrain," said Ryan, 41, a blunt commander who has spent much of the past decade in combat. "We fight here because the enemy is here. The enemy fights here because we are here."  Jaffe

***********************************************************************

"... new strategy for eastern Afghanistan focused limited American resources on those areas where governance, police and economic development efforts have shown promise in recent years.

The Pech Valley wasn't one of those places. Even the Afghan government's commitment to the valley seemed shaky. The police were so poorly equipped that they begged the Americans for blankets. The Afghan army refused to patrol without the Americans.

Senior U.S. officials still have not reached a final decision to leave the valley, though a significant reduction in U.S. forces seems likely.

Ryan envisioned two possible outcomes following a U.S. pullout. In the best-case scenario, army and police forces would be able to hold off the recently bloodied insurgents, retain their bases and figure out how to meld into the insular and tribal valley society. In the worst-case scenario, the Afghan forces would collapse, he said.

"I came in looking for a counterinsurgency victory," Ryan said. "But here, there is no such thing."  Jaffe

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LTC Ryan is described as having spent most of the last decade in combat.  Such experience clarifies the mind.

These two articles tell a grim story.

Waste, corruption and a lack of strategic vision mark these wars.

At the same time troops are all too often committed against campaign objectives that have become self-justifying, proverbial "self licking ice cream cones."  Officers find themselves asked to accomplish goals that reflect the ideology of the COIN disguise now worn by jacobin neocon philosophy.  President Obama evidently accepts such goals as his strategy overseas.  Instead of restricting Amercan military action to the pursuit of our enemies wherever they are found, we appear to be intent on the reformation of various alien societies.

At the same time the US is sinking economically under ever heavier burdens of debt in a world in which we are no longer the principal economic power.

Will Republican victories in Congress and in 2012 improve the situation?  That does not appear to be the case.  The Republicans seem to appeal to jingoistic nationalism even more than do the Democrats.

Is it not obvious that the chimeras of the "existential" threats posed by Islamic fanaticism and miniscule regional powers like North Korea must not be allowed to exhaust the strength of the United States in overseas adventures?  pl 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/26/AR2010122602622.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-honda-afghanistan-20101215,0,3512544.story

 

Comments

[Cal]

I can hear OBL laughing in his grave. He won.

[BillWade]

My son is in his last weeks of his Afghan tour and reports that the past 3 months have been a nightmare.

[Patrick Lang]

Billwade

What unit and where? pl

[Richard Armstrong]

All the talk about an existential threat is a cover for what will be a war that will never end.

Only the corporations that supply the weaponry and the contractors along with many career officers benefit. And they benefit to the tune of billions.

Almost all of the current and planned military acquisitions are directed toward fighting wars like that in Afghanistan.

While the Air Force is still buying jets to fight the Soviets they are also ramping up their drone fleet.

The Navy is even getting into the act by working on ships and submarines specifically designed for "litoral" operations.

We are very soon to move into the world of 1984 where Big Brother told the population "We have always been at war with Oceana."

Eisenhour warned us.

[Patrick Lang]

RA

"many career officers benefit.'Yes. The consulting business and business board memberships are profitable. Don't forget career non-military people, CIA, etc. pl

[Yellow Dog]

Bill,

May the Almighty keep him and protect him, and see him home safe. Thanks to both of you.

Mark

[Norbert M. Salamon]

Torture of the thousand cuts is applied to a nation's econmy, rather than a misbegottan combatant.
It apppears that the nations' leadership is lacking the basics of strategy and the basics of logic, both with respect to the numerous wars[Afgan, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and who knows what else], and to the national economy.

[Jose]

The amount of blood and treasury we are spending to produce a stalemate against 10,000 pedophile, goat-herders is incredible.

Billwade

My godson might be replacing him, so my prayers are with you.

[Richard Armstrong]

Col, I thought that I included contractors as well.

[Richard Armstrong]

pl, oops you are correct. I forgot to mention the spooks.

[Farmer Don]

"Is it not obvious that the chimerae of the "existential" threats posed by Islamic fanaticism and miniscule regional powers like North Korea must not be allowed to exhaust the strength of the United States in overseas adventures? pl "

Guess not.

Crazy isn't it.

What will it take for the blind to see?
When the obvious is ignored for 10 years, it will have to be something big.

A major currency crisis involving the US dollar?
High interest rates crippling the economy?
The growing unemployed and uninsured voting as an anti-war block?
A purge of all people who helped the USA in Iraq by an anti-USA. Iraqi government alined with Iran?
A cold shoulder by the world's governments that see US power declining & Brazil, Russia, India & China's rising?
A long drawn out decline as in Britain post WW2?
US companies and the ultra rich realizing continual war is bad for business?

[Richard Armstrong]

Boston.com provides an article about retiring general officers that goes aways to support my contentions.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/12/26/defense_firms_lure_retired_generals/

[Redhand]

OBL succeeded beyond his wildest imaginings. I doubt even he could have dreamed we would be this brain-dead stupid in pursuit of a "permanent war" non-strategy.

Only an idiot (or a political coward, maybe) would continue this war in Afghanistan while chained to a rotting carcass like Karzai. Can Obama not see this war is impossible to "win" when our client-state government is corrupt to the core?

I don't think he's that stupid, just an abject political coward when it comes to facing the truth over there. Meanwhile, our economy is hollowed out even more and young Americans continue to die or be maimed daily.

It's a disgrace.

[zanzibar]

At the same time the US is sinking economically under ever heavier burdens of debt in a world in which we are no longer the principal economic power.

Is it not obvious that the chimerae of the "existential" threats posed by Islamic fanaticism and miniscule regional powers like North Korea must not be allowed to exhaust the strength of the United States in overseas adventures? pl

Obvious and common sense seem to have no seat relative to the vested interests and their DC court intrigue. Jingoism and the win at all cost electoral politics ensure that national interests get sacrificed all the time.

Bolton vs Coburn vs Revolving Door.

How does "obvious" win?

[Retired (once-Serving)Patriot]

@Redhand, its beyond a disgrace, it is a tragedy --- and a crime.

RP

[Retired (once-Serving)Patriot]

@zanzibar,

"Obvious" will only win when the bone jarring, crushing defeat is undeniable.

Then again, given the current power of corporate media propaganda machine, I suspect the major defense companies, in collusion with their government sponsors, would mount an advertising campaign declaring that there is no such thing as a loss... merely a flesh wound! Team America and all that.

In that way, defeat = victory and the game continues. Until the financiers pull the notes backing it all.

RP

[J]

RA,

IMO there is needs to be a stop-gap put into place where 'all' retiring General Officers are 'prevented' from garnering employment/consulting fees in both the defense and intelligence sectors. Too many conflicts of interests for them in these realms. They already receive an adequate stipend for their careers, there is no need for them to overdo it, which is what is the case today. Now if they want to be a flutter-by on the TV screens, that is a different story as it is not a part of either defense or intelligence, but propaganda. Again, all this is IMO. To the item of those like career CIA and the intelligence sector, since they are civilian that is another matter which again IMO would 'also' need to be 'looked at'.

[J]

zanzibar,

Our nation's current defense spending is related to the safety and security of Israel, NOT our U.S..

[Charles I]

Farmer Don, it will only be one and two -
a major currency crisis and crippling interest rates - when the financiers pull the notes backing it all, as Retired (once-Serving)Patriot notes.

The wars will continue as it is believed they are the most suitable beard for the public to private wealth and asset transfer. If green energy was as threatening, and endlessly profitable as the DOD/intelligence/homeland security complex, convincing taxpayers to endlessly replace it at cost plus, all would well.

Elections don't change a thing.

My interest is in which is chicken and which is egg. The crises, or the fianciers, losses first socialiized, private capital and profits intact at enforced 0% interest rates, and then the currency, supported until. . . when. . . what?

[optimax]

Our young are being trained through various entertainment media to accept a future dystopia. Indeed, many embrace the thought of it. The managing elite realized many years back the can't afford a middle class. Will the mc realize they can't afford an elite.

[Tyler]

I wonder if part of the reluctance to pull out of Afghanistan and Iraq has something to do with:

- A large population of combat veterans with experience in CI and urban warfare

combined with

- A real unemployment rate of +20%.

I reckon someone thinks the next "Bonus Army" isn't going to stop at a Hooverville.

[elkern]

Scary line in orig post:
"In the best-case scenario, army and police forces would be able to... figure out how to meld into the insular and tribal valley society."

I knew that most Afghans view us (US, NATO) as occupiers to be chased off, or at least foreigners to be cheated and "yessed" until we get bored & leave.

But that sentence implies that they also view representatives of the government of "Afghanistan" the same way. This really puts the challenge of "nation-building" in perspective.

Historically, places like this become "nations" a century after being invaded & settled by a larger tribe which kills the men, takes the women & assimilates the old-fashioned way. I don't think this is our style (any more?) (Native Americans might not agree).

Bottom line: let's get the hell out. Don't wait for a "nation" to evolve there. That would require tectonic patience - not a traditional American strength.

[Fred]

Optimax,

There is one thing both the elite and the middle class lack: enough.