Rory Stewart, a man who should know some…
Rory Stewart, a man who should know something about Afghanistan and who I don’t think can be described as a pacifist, writes about our role in Afghanistan in the latest edition of the London Review of Books:
[Our foreign] policy [in Afghanistan] rests on misleading ideas about moral obligation, our capacity, the strength of our adversaries, the threat posed by Afghanistan, the relations between our different objectives, and the value of a state. Even if the invasion was justified, that does not justify all our subsequent actions. If 9/11 had been planned in training camps in Iraq, we might have felt the war in Iraq was more justified, but our actions would have been no less of a disaster for Iraqis or for ourselves. The power of the US and its allies, and our commitment, knowledge and will, are limited. It is unlikely that we will be able to defeat the Taliban. The ingredients of successful counter-insurgency campaigns in places like Malaya – control of the borders, large numbers of troops in relation to the population, strong support from the majority ethnic groups, a long-term commitment and a credible local government – are lacking in Afghanistan.
thabet, 
Dan, and 
Buzz Kill are discussing.
Buzz Kill 1:24 pm on July 7, 2009 Permalink
Look, these are complicated issues with myriad facets. There are elements of future foreign policy, diplomacy, changing rhetoric, encouraging development, wealth and self-determination in poor, oppressed, exploited regions of the Muslim world.
No one is saying that these elements should be replaced by a strong offensive in Afghanistan.
And bearing in mind that Al-Qaeda was spawned and provoked by the West for all the reasons stated above, it is still irresponsible to allow this organization, which has declared war on the citizens of the United States, to exist.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, OBL, if he is not dead already, these people have to die. Period. A few figureheads would be enough.
The real problem is not the idea that the USA is committed to some boneheaded and nebulous offensive in Afghanistan. Give evil its due. The military-industrial-zionist complex is my concern. These are the people who really have something to gain from a perpetual global war on terror.
If you want to point your finger, point it behind the curtain.
Dan 8:47 pm on July 7, 2009 Permalink
“Ayman al-Zawahiri, OBL, if he is not dead already, these people have to die. Period. A few figureheads would be enough. ”
People on MuslimMatters tend to think otherwise.
Buzz Kill 10:03 pm on July 7, 2009 Permalink
A Sufi Master named Shah Nazar Dr. Ali Kianfar said, you notice that if being a shaheed is so glorious, how come you will NEVER see one of these upper eschalon guys strapping on the explosives and doing the job themselves.
I feel sorry for the young suckers who believe these assholes. They allow themselves to be misled into murder. Hopefully hell will burn them all to toast.
Dan 10:08 pm on July 7, 2009 Permalink
So true.
You can also the nitwits who post on IslamicAwakening as well.
thabet 12:30 am on July 8, 2009 Permalink
You don’t need to be a Sufi master to know this.
There was one of these wannabe jihadi types trying to indoctrinate kids in a town I used to frequently visit just outside London; he was asked if it was so glorious why he hadn’t blown himself up yet.
The kids then went back to smoking their spliff.
thabet 12:37 am on July 8, 2009 Permalink
Heh, any links?
thabet 12:37 am on July 8, 2009 Permalink
But in Afghanistan, we’re now fighting ‘Taliban’ and supporting their enemies in government.
Removing Al-Q types is a different matter, imho.
Dan 10:08 pm on July 7, 2009 Permalink
‘can also *add*’