"Afghan nation-building programs not sustainable, report says" Washpost

 
"The hugely expensive U.S. attempt at nation-building in Afghanistan has had only limited success and may not survive an American withdrawal, according to the findings of a two-year congressional investigation to be released Wednesday.

The report calls on the administration to rethink urgently its assistance programs as President Obama prepares to begin drawing down the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan this summer."  Washpost

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I told you so.  pl

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/national-security/afghan-nation-building-programs-not-sustainable-report-says/2011/06/07/AG5cPSLH_story.html?fb_ref=NetworkNews

Comments

[Basilisk]

Damn, this brings a whole new meaning to the trickle-down theory. I didn't know it referred to our national blood and treasure.

[Fred]

The new report should the "The Afghanistan Government's obligation to America"
One page, one item:

Do not harbor groups that are planing, training or otherwise assisting in attacks against the American people.

Appendix: If you need money, see the people who were stealing 1/3 of what the USA spent on development in Afghanistan over the past ten years.

[J]

Notice how those who have reaped $$$ from the SE Asia military endeavors i.e. Ron Crocker, are pushing that it wouldn't be nice to leave Afghanistan.

Ambassadorial Nominee Warns of Risk if the U.S. Abandons Afghanistan

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/09/world/asia/09Diplo.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Crocker has a personal $$$ gain if we stay in Afghanistan. While Crocker served in Iraq, he was 'protected' by our military/intel personnel, and he didn't have his personal keester on the line as he had 'protection'. Crocker is showing that he's just another 'empty suit' IMO.

[William R. Cumming]

I have not read the report but what I will always find interesting is the US willingness to intervene somewhere in the world and then choose up sides on the correctness of that intervention. What exactly does drive US interventions in the affairs of other nation-states? Is it testerone or rationale thinking?

[arbogast]

$10 billion a month for failure.

44,000,000 Americans on food stamps.

I reiterate, Congress is a brothel run by AIPAC and defense contractors. Period. They no more represent the American people than the Chinese government does.

[arbogast]

$120 billion divided by 44 million is $2,727 per year for every American on foodstamps.

The maximum monthly foodstamp payment per person appears to be $200 a month which, gosh, is actually less than $2,727 per year.

So getting Americans killed, maimed and disabled in Afghanistan, wherever that is, is worth the entire foodstamp program.

And what about narcotics originating in Afghanistan? Did Crocker comment on that? Or was it too unimportant?

[Matthew]

I take a simpler view: If we have pumped all this money into Afghanistan to prop up a phony government, then the government should fall.

NPR had a ridiculous interview with Gen. Caldwell explaining why it's so hard to keep Afghan recruits. Basically, it's complicated.

Simpler answer: They are there for the money. It's not "their" army.

What is the Taliban's benefit plan? We have spent $1 trillion to lose a popularity contest to people who execute women in sports stadiums.

Please put that on the dust jacket.

[shanks]

/quote
What is the Taliban's benefit plan?
/quote

Do they have a plan? At the rate at which the drones/NATO 'accidental' death of civilians is winning the battle for them, they don't need a stinking plan. All they have to do lie low and let NATO go home, at some point which they have to.

This makes the Afghan-Britain wars of yore seem a logical one compared to this FUBAR.