Obama's Afghan Plan Doomed to Fail, Taliban...

The BBC reported November 14 that a spokesman for the Taliban "derided" President-elect Barack Obama's plan to send more military forces to Afghanistan in an Iraq-like "surge."

Of course, this is typical rhetoric and not really an indictment of any particular plan, especially since the President-elect has not provided any real detail yet other than to say he wants more troops. I doubt anyone seriously expected the Taliban to say, "Oh no, more U.S. troops!"

What will be important for Obama is that he not look weak up front. Sending additional forces to Afghanistan shows he's serious about winning there, but ultimately victory will require a lot more than just larger numbers of boots on the ground.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=75366&sectionid=351020403

Comments: 6

Christopher B. Nov 14, 2008, 3:02pm EST

Afghanistan is to Obama what Iraq was to Bush. If that wasn't apparent from his rhetoric then nothing is. If you look at his speeches you will see the Iraq war was wrong because it was a diversion from the proper war against Bin Laden.

reply to this comment

Jennifer R. Nov 14, 2008, 3:33pm EST

I don't belive in any kind of war, but in this case I think Obama was right in that if you were going to start a war Afghanistan was the one to start.

Of course I don't expect the Taliban to feel he would be successful. That would have been like his running mate saying "Yeah I don't even know why I'm doing this"

reply to this comment

Dusty W. Nov 14, 2008, 3:52pm EST

If we can learn anything from past wars, slowly pulling troops out, then sending a few more in without any sort of decisive action will equal failure. I think Obama is smart enough to think that a surge would work, but it has to be decisive, not just more boots on the ground. Also probably have to work WITH Pakistan instead of around or through them. Again, I'm sure Obama can manage.

Thanks for the post Greg.

reply to this comment

Joe T. Nov 14, 2008, 4:40pm EST

It's difficult to say what the correct course of action is with respect to Afghanistan. I believe that Obama will handle the problem better than Bush has. I think that the Taliban has reasserted itself in many parts of the country. They harbored Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. So, they are really the enemy as opposed to Iraq which posed no threat to the United States at all. President-elect Obama is correct when he says that our real issue is centered around Afghanistan and Pakistan. What he will do remains to be seen.

reply to this comment

Nippy Katz (not his real name) Patriotic Troll of Gather Freedom Nov 14, 2008, 5:03pm EST

I hope nobody believes that the Taliban would ever say that any plan for using military force in Afghanistan that we announced was a good idea. :)

The Curtis Le May plan is always the most effective. It has side effects though.

reply to this comment

John S. (arizona) Nov 15, 2008, 11:10am EST

You can't just kill a bunch of bad guys, keep score, and then leave the area and hope they don't come back; that hardly ever works in situations like Afghanistan, or Iraq; ask Gen. Petraeus. It is how those troops are deployed and used, together with other economic help, borders, etc. Of course the Taliban wouldn't like more security, then they couldn't spray acid into the eyes of girls wanting to go to school etc.
NATO members took up the military challenge like it or not, now all those member nations should "put up" more though, not just us. Perhaps Obama will have more success with that, hope so anyway. I'd like to see those people have a chance at a better life if possible.

reply to this comment

Obama's Afghan Plan Doomed to Fail, Taliban Says

Comments: 6

Join the Conversation

You might also like

More by Greg R.