by Ray McGovern, November 04, 2009
"I can’t remember how many times I have said that the U.S. military adventure in Afghanistan is a fool’s errand.
The reaction I frequently encounter includes some variant of "How can you blithely acquiesce in the chaos that will inevitably ensue if we and our NATO allies withdraw our troops?" While the central premise of the question is dubious, the question itself is a fair one.
By way of full disclosure, my answer is based largely on the fact that I asked the equivalent question 43 years ago regarding a place named Vietnam. Been there; done that.
As a young Army infantry/intelligence officer turned junior CIA analyst in 1963, I was given responsibility for reporting on Soviet policy toward China and Southeast Asia and was just beginning to get a feel for the complexities.....
It seems appropriate today to remember that, when choppers go down, hawks go up in influence. For what it may be worth, then, let me state my same conclusion today regarding Afghanistan – and not only because still more helicopters went down just last week.
The war in Afghanistan, too, is UNWINNABLE.
Somebody please tell President Obama."
"I can’t remember how many times I have said that the U.S. military adventure in Afghanistan is a fool’s errand.
The reaction I frequently encounter includes some variant of "How can you blithely acquiesce in the chaos that will inevitably ensue if we and our NATO allies withdraw our troops?" While the central premise of the question is dubious, the question itself is a fair one.
By way of full disclosure, my answer is based largely on the fact that I asked the equivalent question 43 years ago regarding a place named Vietnam. Been there; done that.
As a young Army infantry/intelligence officer turned junior CIA analyst in 1963, I was given responsibility for reporting on Soviet policy toward China and Southeast Asia and was just beginning to get a feel for the complexities.....
It seems appropriate today to remember that, when choppers go down, hawks go up in influence. For what it may be worth, then, let me state my same conclusion today regarding Afghanistan – and not only because still more helicopters went down just last week.
The war in Afghanistan, too, is UNWINNABLE.
Somebody please tell President Obama."
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