In a town cited as a success, still a long road ahead

[unhappycamper]

In a town cited as a success, still a long road ahead
By Geoff Ziezulewicz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, December 3, 2009

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Within hours of President Barack Obama’s announcement of a new surge of 30,000 troops into Afghanistan, the man charged with winning the war stood before reporters in Kabul and offered what he said was a shining example of how the new counterinsurgency strategy can succeed: the Baraki Barak district of embattled Logar province.

"Some months ago, it was almost under complete insurgent control," Gen. Stanley McChrystal said. "Now with a partnership between coalition forces, Afghan forces and local government and some smart counterinsurgency techniques, some reinforcement of local leadership, violence is down something like 80 percent and it is all because we link up and partner and we make it work."

Yet on the ground here in Baraki Barak, the picture is not so clear.

Much of the counterinsurgency push here has revolved around creating what the Americans call a “security bubble” in this rural area of 150,000. Inside the bubble, residents are given aid as they cooperate with the local government and U.S. military ­— an example that U.S. commanders hope villages outside the bubble will want to emulate when they see how their neighbors are prospering.

But the bubble only covers about one-fifth of Baraki Barak, and about half its population.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=66432