Dire Report
National security team, headed by a highly respected worstist, tries to coax Europe with the promise that Afghanistan will be tougher than Iraq. Washington Post:
MUNICH, Feb. 8 — President Obama’s national security team gave a dire assessment Sunday of the war in Afghanistan, with one official calling it a challenge “much tougher than Iraq” and others hinting that it could take years to turn around.
U.S. officials said more troops were urgently needed, both from America and its NATO allies, to counter the increasing strength of the Taliban and warlords opposed to the central government in Kabul. They also said new approaches were needed to untangle an inefficient and conflicting array of civilian-aid programs that have wasted billions of dollars.
“NATO’s future is on the line here,” Richard C. Holbrooke, the State Department’s special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told attendees at an international security conference here. “It’s going to be a long, difficult struggle. . . . In my view, it’s going to be much tougher than Iraq.”
Yeah, well. That’s pretty much what they … Holbrooke in particular … said about Iraq.* OK, doll face, what’s it gonna be? You gonna quit now or stick it out? Because it almost sounds like someone’s looking for an excuse to cut and run. Listen, it’s always darkest before it goes completely black, cupcake. You gotta look on the bright side, even if there ain’t one.
(Sorry, it’s hard to break that Dashiell Hammett thing once you start.)
The thing is the audience. Talking like that in Washington, with the crowd that’s hanging around that juke joint these days, is a prelude to Splitsville. Hasta la vista. Arrivederci, Afghanistan. Talking like that on the other side of the pond is … gonna spook the bunnies. The NATO line ain’t bad, though. The last thing the 90-pound weakling also known as Europe wants is to have to put up its own dukes.
The Post article above ends with Paddy Ashdown’s wry observation that there are several Afghan wars. The British one in Helmand, the Canadian one in Kanadahar, the German one in Pansjir and the American one vs. OBL. He wants to see all their heads cracked together.
UK Guardian on the “new realism” highlights Holbrooke’s focus on the “attainable” and “adequate resources. Hopefully this is the part where they are trying not to scare off skittish Euros and members of Congress.
Meanwhile, Dexter Filkins at NYT on Karzai. Shine’s off that apple and he’s out of favor with the new set, but maybe he’s the man they’ll have to do business with one way or the other. His article, dated Feb 7, kicks off with a killer anecdote of Joe Biden dissing Karzai over his insistence there is no corruption in his government. Curiously, NYT’s Holbrooke story today ends with Biden making kissyface with Karzai in a Saturday interview. Unclear whether those ships passed in the night.
Captain’s Journal with a different kind of power struggle looks at the fight over a dam and its pivotal role in the counterinsurgency.
Abu Muqawama on the difficulty of fighting a war in Afghanistan when the opposing team wants to fight in Pakistan.
* Don’t take my word for it. Chapter and verse via Charlie Foxtrot, who offers up Hobrooke calling Iraq worse than Vietnam two years ago:
“Let me start by making a statement that I never thought I would make: the situation in Iraq today is worse than it ever was in Vietnam.”
You know, if someone would just point that out to the Euros, they might be more enthusiastic about pitching in:
“Afghanistan’s worse than Iraq, which was worse than Vietnam! Should be done by Christmas!”
Holbrooke’s history of worstism not noted in either WP or NYT reports. Interesting thing about that two-year-old quote, is that the whole thing at Kristof ends with a dire warning about Iran. Holbrooke, whose glass is always half empty, doesn’t see an Iran flanked, but an Iran that has us tied down on two fronts, leaving it free to work on a third. Here’s hoping Holbrooke’s bid to get people’s attention doesn’t end up scaring them off all three fronts, on all of which engagement is not optional.
Outside The Beltway: What the heck is “sustainable security” supposed to mean?
Riehl: “If Obama doesn’t want Afghanistan to be his Vietnam, why’s he using the language of Vietnam to describe it?”
Surber: Surrender enthusiasts prepare their “Barack lied people died” posters for Afghanistan. Gee, you think they’ll need them, Don?
Different theater, same war, Hot Air: Yemen shows why we need Gitmo.
Related, not so different. Gateway with Hamas on Obama’s victory for the Islamic Revolution!
Need some good news? via Dean’s World, “Flaming Shia nutjob gets his butt kicked in Iraq.” It’s a Sadr story,
Topics: Afghanistan, Europe, Obama
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 10:16 am on Monday, February 9, 2009
2 Responses to “Dire Report”
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February 9th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Hey Jules. Apologize for the OT, but for your readers and commenters…The Latest from the OZ inferno, with links for assistance…
http://tizona.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/australian-bushfires-how-to-help/
How ya’ hanging, old buddy?
Had to chuckle last evening, Villiainous Company with Cassandra aka Moqtada al Sadr with her excellent post…”*Now* He’s Asking Questions???”. We both alluded to the “Crittenden”….LOL.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
So, war waged to shut down jihadi terrrorism and totalitarianism is going to be tough? Well, Hell’s bells, why don’t we all just sit down and die now.