Today's Article
Three independent
studies reveal that
the current Bush
'policy' in
Afghanistan is
leading to outright
failure.
studies reveal that
the current Bush
'policy' in
Afghanistan is
leading to outright
failure.
The American Spark
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Bush's Afghanistan Policy Failing, Separate Studies Show
By Cliff Montgomery - Feb. 1st, 2008
The battle for Afghanistan has often been called the "forgotten war." The fruitless nation-building of Iraq has
all but pushed Afghanistan from the thoughts of George W. Bush.
Of all the many sins of this incompetent White House, forgetting Afghanistan ranks as one of the very worst. It
was of course the former rulers of Afghanistan--not Iraq, not Iran, not North Korea--who are solely to blame for
the terror attacks of September 11th, 2001.
Those former rulers--top Taliban officials and their principal ally, Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda--remain on the
loose, and still lurk around Afghanistan and through the murky area constituting the Afghan-Pakistani border,
respectively.
We know for certain who our enemies are, and essentially we know in which areas of which countries their
leaders and principal organizations are located. But more than six years after 9/11, this White House has
barely lifted a finger to find them and bring them to justice.
Afghanistan was thrust back into Washington's consciousness this week however, after the publication of
three independent studies revealed that the current Bush "policy" in Afghanistan is leading to outright failure.
The Taliban now sets off more bombs, such as the January 14th explosion which blew apart Kabul's fanciest
hotel and murdered eight human beings. It also has re-funded its group with gigantic opium trade profits. Last
year alone, Afghanistan supplied 93% of the world's opium supply.
Eroding security in the nation has pushed foreign investment out of Afghanistan. Cash inflows fell by about
50% last year.
The Taliban also is killing more U.S. troops. From 2002-2004, about one American soldier was killed every
week in Afghanistan; over twice that many were being killed by 2007. In fact, nearly 500 American soldiers
have lost their lives valiantly fighting the War Bush Forgot.
"Make no mistake, NATO is not winning in Afghanistan," proclaimed a report issued on Wednesday by the
Atlantic Council.
"Unless this reality is understood, and action is taken promptly, the future of Afghanistan is bleak, with regional
and global impact," the study emphatically added.
Spinning such obvious truths, the recent Bush message to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee claimed
that matters in the Taliban-infested nation have actually gotten better.
"Progress is being made," claimed Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher to
the senators--who, like most Americans, have long ago stopped listening to this administration's constant
denials of reality.
"If you add together the achievements in roads, achievements in education, achievements in health care, we
see a profoundly changed situation in Afghanistan," Boucher chimed.
But Mr. Boucher has allowed himself to forget that American troops never went to Afghanistan to build roads.
Our troops went there to bring those most responsible for 9/11 to justice. Thus success or failure depends
upon success or failure of this task, period.
And there is another little problem with the Bush Administration spin: It apparently has been disproven by a
recent study created by the White House itself.
In a January 14th, 2008, Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on post-war governance in Afghanistan,
the facts once again have made a liar out of the Bush Administration.
The introduction to the CRS report refers to the Bush study in clear language:
"A November 2007 Bush Administration review of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan reportedly concluded that overall
progress was inadequate, and a number of efforts to augment the U.S. stabilization effort are underway or
under further consideration."
And the CRS analysis of events in the war-torn country? It echoed the conclusions of other studies:
"U.S. and outside assessments of the effort to stabilize Afghanistan are mixed and subject to debate; many
note progress on reconstruction but some deterioration of security and only halting progress, if any, on
expanding governance."
"Part of the debate is over the degree to which the United States...must...add its own forces to the
[NATO] mission, and attach to it a level of priority on par with the Iraq effort," the CRS audit stated.
"[...] The insurgency led by supporters of the Taliban movement and Al Qaeda continues to challenge U.S. and
partner country forces, particularly in the south, and to operate in areas where there is little Afghan or
international presence.
"Uninterrupted tactical victories, such as the NATO preemption of an anticipated 2007 'spring offensive' by the
Taliban, have not defeated the Taliban to date," stated the report.
"Contributing to the violence," it continued, "is popular frustration with lack of economic development, official
corruption, and the failure to extend Afghan government authority into rural areas. Narcotics trafficking is
resisting counter-measures and funding insurgent activity.
"The Afghan government and some U.S. officials [also] blame Pakistan for failing to prevent Taliban
commanders from operating from Pakistan, largely beyond the reach of U.S./NATO-led forces in Afghanistan,"
the report added.
Click here to read the full CRS report.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - Feb. 1st, 2008
The battle for Afghanistan has often been called the "forgotten war." The fruitless nation-building of Iraq has
all but pushed Afghanistan from the thoughts of George W. Bush.
Of all the many sins of this incompetent White House, forgetting Afghanistan ranks as one of the very worst. It
was of course the former rulers of Afghanistan--not Iraq, not Iran, not North Korea--who are solely to blame for
the terror attacks of September 11th, 2001.
Those former rulers--top Taliban officials and their principal ally, Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda--remain on the
loose, and still lurk around Afghanistan and through the murky area constituting the Afghan-Pakistani border,
respectively.
We know for certain who our enemies are, and essentially we know in which areas of which countries their
leaders and principal organizations are located. But more than six years after 9/11, this White House has
barely lifted a finger to find them and bring them to justice.
Afghanistan was thrust back into Washington's consciousness this week however, after the publication of
three independent studies revealed that the current Bush "policy" in Afghanistan is leading to outright failure.
The Taliban now sets off more bombs, such as the January 14th explosion which blew apart Kabul's fanciest
hotel and murdered eight human beings. It also has re-funded its group with gigantic opium trade profits. Last
year alone, Afghanistan supplied 93% of the world's opium supply.
Eroding security in the nation has pushed foreign investment out of Afghanistan. Cash inflows fell by about
50% last year.
The Taliban also is killing more U.S. troops. From 2002-2004, about one American soldier was killed every
week in Afghanistan; over twice that many were being killed by 2007. In fact, nearly 500 American soldiers
have lost their lives valiantly fighting the War Bush Forgot.
"Make no mistake, NATO is not winning in Afghanistan," proclaimed a report issued on Wednesday by the
Atlantic Council.
"Unless this reality is understood, and action is taken promptly, the future of Afghanistan is bleak, with regional
and global impact," the study emphatically added.
Spinning such obvious truths, the recent Bush message to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee claimed
that matters in the Taliban-infested nation have actually gotten better.
"Progress is being made," claimed Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher to
the senators--who, like most Americans, have long ago stopped listening to this administration's constant
denials of reality.
"If you add together the achievements in roads, achievements in education, achievements in health care, we
see a profoundly changed situation in Afghanistan," Boucher chimed.
But Mr. Boucher has allowed himself to forget that American troops never went to Afghanistan to build roads.
Our troops went there to bring those most responsible for 9/11 to justice. Thus success or failure depends
upon success or failure of this task, period.
And there is another little problem with the Bush Administration spin: It apparently has been disproven by a
recent study created by the White House itself.
In a January 14th, 2008, Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on post-war governance in Afghanistan,
the facts once again have made a liar out of the Bush Administration.
The introduction to the CRS report refers to the Bush study in clear language:
"A November 2007 Bush Administration review of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan reportedly concluded that overall
progress was inadequate, and a number of efforts to augment the U.S. stabilization effort are underway or
under further consideration."
And the CRS analysis of events in the war-torn country? It echoed the conclusions of other studies:
"U.S. and outside assessments of the effort to stabilize Afghanistan are mixed and subject to debate; many
note progress on reconstruction but some deterioration of security and only halting progress, if any, on
expanding governance."
"Part of the debate is over the degree to which the United States...must...add its own forces to the
[NATO] mission, and attach to it a level of priority on par with the Iraq effort," the CRS audit stated.
"[...] The insurgency led by supporters of the Taliban movement and Al Qaeda continues to challenge U.S. and
partner country forces, particularly in the south, and to operate in areas where there is little Afghan or
international presence.
"Uninterrupted tactical victories, such as the NATO preemption of an anticipated 2007 'spring offensive' by the
Taliban, have not defeated the Taliban to date," stated the report.
"Contributing to the violence," it continued, "is popular frustration with lack of economic development, official
corruption, and the failure to extend Afghan government authority into rural areas. Narcotics trafficking is
resisting counter-measures and funding insurgent activity.
"The Afghan government and some U.S. officials [also] blame Pakistan for failing to prevent Taliban
commanders from operating from Pakistan, largely beyond the reach of U.S./NATO-led forces in Afghanistan,"
the report added.
Click here to read the full CRS report.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!