Afghan strategy needs overhaul, report argues

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

Think tank: 'Increasingly violent insurgency' requires 'game-changing' tact

As President Barack Obama prepares to send troops to war for the first time as commander in chief, a new report says a "game-changing" strategy is urgently needed in Afghanistan to save the faltering international campaign.

"All is not lost in Afghanistan," RAND Corp. experts said in a paper being released Tuesday by the congressionally funded United States Institute of Peace.

"But urgent measures — what might be called 'game-changing steps' — are now needed to stem an increasingly violent insurgency," said authors Seth G. Jones and C. Christine Fair.

(snip)
The report says efforts to build a police force have been disappointing, and that work to disarm former combatants and militias is "all but moribund." It notes that U.S. intelligence indicates Afghan officials are involved in the drug trade; traffickers have bought off hundreds of police chiefs, judges and officials, and it suggests the immediate firing of corrupt officials.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29224756/

[babylonsister]

1. I wonder if 'game-changing' could mean leaving. Would anyone

have a problem with that?

[Chulanowa]

2. What never seems to cross the mind...

Is that if there is an insurgency, maybe our presence isn't welcome.

And Afghan officials are involved in the drug trade? Really The fact that our Northern Alliance "allies" were motherfucking heroin kingpins has just been discovered? What next, they engage in systemic rape of non-Pashtuns? Oops, don't want to give away the surprise!

There is no way to put Afghanistan "back on course". it was fucked up from the start. the entire design is horrible. There is no way we can finaggle things to make shit turn to gold. Our best bet is to draw down there and stick to humanitarian aid.

[EFerrari]

3. Rand . . . where have I heard that name before?

[Alamuti Lotus]

4. "Institute of Peace" advises the WAR EFFORT -- Eric Blair rolls over in his grave

[acmavm]

5. We need to change our strategy in Afganistan? Why, what we're doing

now isn't working?

:sarcasm: