Posted on 09/21/2009 6:13:43 PM PDT by Kaslin
War On Terror: Does the U.S. intend to win the war in Afghanistan, or are U.S. generals being set up for a fall? A warning from a top military commander leaked on Monday may mean a political marker is being laid.
He urged a new strategy focused on protecting civilians over chasing ragtag gunmen around the desert. He also wants to strengthen Afghanistan's fledgling government by training a 240,000-man Afghan army. To do both, U.S. troop levels must be reinforced, fast. If not, he warns, we could lose.
It's a tough set of recommendations for any commander in chief to make. Deeper involvement means political costs. But it's also the only way to win an unconventional war — which is why McChrystal was chosen for the task in the first place.
"Failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near term (next 12 months) — while Afghan security capacity matures — risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible," the general warned.
McChrystal's warnings came Aug. 30 in an urgent, 66-page memo to the White House that somehow leaked to the Washington Post's Bob Woodward. That's significant, because Woodward is known for his Washington power-game savvy and military ties. Whoever leaked the report knew it.
A Pentagon spokesman claims his office was disappointed the confidential report was released. It's one of five the Obama administration received on the future of the Afghanistan war.
(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...
Our CIC has yet to publish a National Security Strategy as required by Goldwater/Nichols.
How can he publish one if he doesn’t have one?
And Obummer is talking about bailing out the press. Those bastards are traitors for publishing this letter. If Obummer gave it to them, they should reveal that too.
The secret to winning the war in Afghanistan is to secure a land resupply route to that godawful place. That would require establishing a port in Pakistan or Iran with communication to Afghanistan, probably by force. It would be brutal, but it is required if you are going to use heavy equipment in Afghanistan. Resupply by air is untenable and too costly. You are talking major war to do this.
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