Afghanistan: the Obama policy presentation

The comprehensive, 'regional' Afghanistan Conference is kicking off in The Hague. In attendance are over 70 countries (including Iran) and NGOs. According to the Dutch Foreign Minister the idea is to shift the responsibility from the US to the UN. The strategy: parley with the 'moderate Taliban'. That's right! Throw the victims under the bus ...

World Security Network: "White Paper of the Interagency Policy Group's Report on U.S. Policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan"

It is our pleasure to provide you with the new White Paper of the White House Interagency Policy Group's Report on U.S. Policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan, presented by U.S. President Barack Obama on March 27, 2009 with a fresh new approach towards Afghanistan and Pakistan - now called AfPak - which is in line with many of the recommendations of the World Security Network Foundation for FATA, Pakistan and Afghanistan as promoted for many years (see our newsletters below). (...) >>>

Mar 30, 2009

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Weekly Std: "Yes, We Can - In the 'graveyard of empires,' we are fighting a war we can win", by Max Boot, Frederick Kagan, and Kimberly Kagan

If you believe the headlines, Afghanistan is "the graveyard of empires," a "quagmire" and a "fiasco," the place where President Barack Obama will meet his "Vietnam." In the media's imagination, the Taliban are on the march, and Kabul is on the verge of falling to a resurgent insurgency that already controls much of the countryside. Increasing numbers of voices, on both the left and the right, counsel that the war is unwinnable and that we need to radically "downsize" our objectives in order to salvage something from a failing war effort lest we go the way of the Russians or British, previous conquerors who foundered in this merciless land of violence and fanaticism. (...) >>>

Mar 17, 2009
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Nat'l Review: "Planning Victory in Afghanistan - Nine principles the Obama administration should follow", by Frederick W. Kagan - FEATURE

(...) Afghanistan is in many respects harder to understand than Iraq was. Even with a good strategy and sufficient resources, success will almost certainly come much more slowly. But as a great man said two years ago, hard is not hopeless. The keys to finding the right approach lie in nine fundamental principles. (...)

1. UNDERSTAND WHY WE’RE THERE
2. KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE
3. UNDERSTAND OUR ENEMIES AND FRIENDS

Read it all >>>

Feb 10, 2009
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Times Online: "Obama puts brake on Afghan surge"

President Barack Obama has demanded that American defence chiefs review their strategy in Afghanistan before going ahead with a troop surge. T here is concern among senior Democrats that the military is preparing to send up to 30,000 extra troops without a coherent plan or exit strategy. (...) Obama promised an extra 7,000-10,000 troops during the election campaign but the military has inflated its demands. Leading Democrats fear Afghanistan could become Obama’s “Vietnam quagmire”. If the surge goes ahead the military intend to limit the mission to fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and leave democracy building and reconstruction to Nato allies and civilians from the State Department and other agencies. The United States has been pushing Britain to send several thousand more troops but there is just as much disagreement and confusion among British defence chiefs over the long-term aim. Gordon Brown is set to receive a full briefing this week.(...) >>>

Feb 8, 2009
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