"Afghanistan and Pakistan: Anatomy of a Proxy War" by Bob Churcher

[StarfarerBill]

"Obama's Afghan surge and new strategy attempt sophistication and nuance, but fail to grasp the terrible complexities of the Afghan war. In his speech the President noted two key issues: Afghanistan's rampant corruption and the problematic role of Pakistan. But these problems are more vexing than he admits.

"I know the depth of these problems from study and from years of -- sometimes bitter and disappointing -- experience working in Afghanistan. From 2001 until very recently I was intimately involved with Afghan security and intelligence agencies; helped to create the Afghan National Security Council; did reconstruction work; trained NATO forces for deployment; and traveled across much of the country by road, in the process coming to know many of its local and regional leaders."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-churcher/afghanistan-and-pakistan_b_387574.html

[MineralMan]

1. A very good analysis, I think.

The situation is far, far more complex than most of us realize, and some of that complexity is laid out in this piece. Sadly, few will read it, and will go on with a simplistic view of the situation.

And thus it goes.