Winning the war in Afghanistan does not automatically guarantee success in Afghanistan. Military people see military solutions. This may be the source of President Obama's frustration with his current strategy suggestions.
To be successful, we have to focus on what we REALLY want to achieve. Here's an expanded version of comments we made to the NYTimes:
What do we REALLY want to achieve in Afghanistan?
- Encourage a stable, honest, responsive, legitimate government.
- End the narcotics production that fuels 90% of the world’s heroin trade and bankrolls the Taliban.
- Immobilize and defuse the Taliban and extremist terrorist groups operating in the area.
- Exit happily, leaving behind schools, a vibrant society and a prospering economy.
Focus on these goals. What troop levels do these goals require?
Ending poppy production destabilizes and defunds the Taliban. It would also halt the world's illicit heroin trade. Who could oppose this? For what the world would pays for drug interdiction, we could afford to pay the locals handsomely for not growing poppies.
Identifying and encouraging a legitimate alternative to Karzai shouldn’t be that hard. The Afghans want the same things we want for their country. Work with a loya jirga to establish a stable, honest, responsible governing leadership consistent with their culture.
Build schools, infrastructure, strengthen agricultural options and commerce. Afghanistan enjoyed a flourishing economy in the past, help return them to prosperity.
The best solutions may not require the largest military commitment.
MicheleMoore-Happy1
HappinessBlog.com / HappinessHabit.com
Comments