Comments on: Afghanistan: Still Wrong after all These Years http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/10/21/afghanistan-still-wrong-after-all-these-years/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:45:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: rascalofearth http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/10/21/afghanistan-still-wrong-after-all-these-years/comment-page-1/#comment-2148735 rascalofearth Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:27:06 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=2586#comment-2148735 can someone, maybe the author, explain to me why it wouldn't be more effective and cheaper to put recruits through our own basic training facilities? can someone, maybe the author, explain to me why it wouldn’t be more effective and cheaper to put recruits through our own basic training facilities?

]]> By: Naqib Ullah Wardak http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/10/21/afghanistan-still-wrong-after-all-these-years/comment-page-1/#comment-2124275 Naqib Ullah Wardak Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:53:53 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=2586#comment-2124275 While Ambassador Finn gives good information in his article, a number of his statements are incorrect or not speaking to the true nature of the conflict in Afghanistan. For one, the conflict in Pakistan is not between landlords and peasants. Obviously, the regional conflict stems from over three decades of conflict in Afghanistan. This regional conflict that engulfs Afghanistan and Pakistan is mainly caused by the US invasion of Afghanistan. Now the fighters in both Afghanistan and Pakistan are commonly known as the Taliban. However, there are a large number of nationalists among them who are fighting for Pashtun identity and freedom from foreign invaders. As long as foreign forces exist on Afghan soil, this conflict will continue regardless of sending more troops and money there. It is incorrect to say that the US has to fight a war against fundamentalists somewhere around the world. The US must learn that fundamentalism is a part of religion, regardless of being Islam, Christianity, or Judaism. We can see fundamentalists in the US that would love to destroy other religion. We have fundamentalists in Israel that are trying to kill every Arab they see. The same is about Islamic fundamentalists. What the US needs to learn is how to live in peace with fundamentalists instead of fighting them. It is untrue to say 80% of Afghans want the existing government. Mr. Finn needs to travel to the country side where more than 90% of Afghans disapprove Karzai's corrupt and useless government. Leadership is one of the most important challenges of Afghanistan. There is leadership crisis in the country. Neither Hamid Karzai nor Abdullah Abdullah is a national leader. No matter how many soldiers and how much money sent to Afghanistan, the conflict will not get resolved. Obviously none of the current approaches will work in Afghanistan. The US needs to understand the history and culture of the region. It should learn some lessons from the Russians. Most probably the only viable solution that I can think of will be to have unconditional negotiation with all insurgents and create a national government that all ethnic groups can have participation in it. Otherwise, nothing will solve this conflict. While Ambassador Finn gives good information in his article, a number of his statements are incorrect or not speaking to the true nature of the conflict in Afghanistan. For one, the conflict in Pakistan is not between landlords and peasants. Obviously, the regional conflict stems from over three decades of conflict in Afghanistan. This regional conflict that engulfs Afghanistan and Pakistan is mainly caused by the US invasion of Afghanistan. Now the fighters in both Afghanistan and Pakistan are commonly known as the Taliban. However, there are a large number of nationalists among them who are fighting for Pashtun identity and freedom from foreign invaders.

As long as foreign forces exist on Afghan soil, this conflict will continue regardless of sending more troops and money there. It is incorrect to say that the US has to fight a war against fundamentalists somewhere around the world. The US must learn that fundamentalism is a part of religion, regardless of being Islam, Christianity, or Judaism. We can see fundamentalists in the US that would love to destroy other religion. We have fundamentalists in Israel that are trying to kill every Arab they see. The same is about Islamic fundamentalists. What the US needs to learn is how to live in peace with fundamentalists instead of fighting them.

It is untrue to say 80% of Afghans want the existing government. Mr. Finn needs to travel to the country side where more than 90% of Afghans disapprove Karzai’s corrupt and useless government. Leadership is one of the most important challenges of Afghanistan. There is leadership crisis in the country. Neither Hamid Karzai nor Abdullah Abdullah is a national leader. No matter how many soldiers and how much money sent to Afghanistan, the conflict will not get resolved.

Obviously none of the current approaches will work in Afghanistan. The US needs to understand the history and culture of the region. It should learn some lessons from the Russians. Most probably the only viable solution that I can think of will be to have unconditional negotiation with all insurgents and create a national government that all ethnic groups can have participation in it. Otherwise, nothing will solve this conflict.

]]> By: Jake http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/10/21/afghanistan-still-wrong-after-all-these-years/comment-page-1/#comment-2122671 Jake Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:37:35 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=2586#comment-2122671 It's great to hear an insider's perspective on what's really going on over there. It’s great to hear an insider’s perspective on what’s really going on over there.

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