Afghanistan War Updates -- January 29, 2008

Canada Presses NATO for Afghan Help -- U.S. News And World Report

Canada Presses NATO For Afghan Help -- Newsweek

NATO Force Chief Vows More Pressure On Taliban In 2008 -- Yahoo News

NATO Needs More Intel On Afghanistan -- Yahoo News

NATO: More Eyes In The Sky Needed In Afghanistan -- Canoe News

Afghan President Hamid Karzai Fears on Pakistan -- Newsweek

Afghans Hunt For Kidnapped American -- Yahoo News

US Shift Seen To Pakistan, Afghanistan -- Yahoo News

Afghanistan Becomes Less Scary -- Strategy Page

Senior Leader Of Haqqani Network Killed In Pakistan -- Long War Journal

My Comment: The war drags on, and our allies are rethinking of changing their role in Afghanistan. From my vantage point it is clear that among the many nations involved in Afghanistan, only three countries are actually involved in supporting the Afghan government and its people. The U.S., the U.K., and Canada are the principle players. The other members of the coalition are stuck mainly in "training" or aid projects and are not actively involved in bringing the fight to the Taliban.

This lack of will among the allies is troubling at best, a tragedy if they choose to ignore the consequences of not being actively involved in Afghanistan. Everyone knows that the solution to the Afghan "problem" can only be measured in the long term ..... probably 20 years if not more .... before any semblance of stability and development can be brought to that poor and ravished country. This time duration is what is sapping the West's will to stay and fight. The fact that the Taliban is reconstituting itself in their safe Pakistan havens also complicates everything.

Will Canada leave? Will other allies lose the will to continue. I have to say yes. Politicians live for the short term, and a long term stay in Afghanistan is not on anyone's radar.