The wrong exit strategy
Given Afghan history, a large U.S.-trained army would likely promote bloodshed not stability
http://www.salon.com/2012/03/08/the_wrong_exit_strategy/singleton/
Nothing much motivate me to blog today until I read this article. I recall reading very shortly after we invaded Afghanistan that some local people were asked what would be the most important thing that could allow for the formation of a stable country. The simple answer: good roads. It seems that except for a few highways between major cities there is nothing capable of handling vehicles and as such the pace in Afghanistan is foot or occasionally horse/donkey limited. A country gets very large indeed when the populace is relegated to foot!
So, as could be easily predicted (I did so predict, but no one gives a damn about what I say, so what does it matter) the US has failed to win friends or influence people in Afghanistan because instead of working to make the local’s lives better, the US has used the war as just another excuse for the military industrial complex to get richer at taxpayer expense. Naturally bombs built in the US have higher margins than roads built in Afghanistan!
So, in a few years we will tiredly leave Afghanistan convinced that we had done everything humanly possible to make those animals behave. As soon as we leave there will be a huge pop as the power vacuum collapses and the Taliban will be back in control within days, perhaps sooner. So, after pissing away _trillions_ of dollars (all borrowed, btw; thanks GOP!) we will have accomplished exactly dick.
Boy, I can’t wait until we start our war with Iran!
