Anti-Taliban fighters observing U.S. bombing of the cave sanctuaries of the al-Qaeda terrorist organization in the Tora Bora mountains of Afghanistan on December 16, 2001.
From Small Wars Journal:
After Action Report (AAR) by General Barry R McCaffrey USA (Ret) on his visit to NATO SHAPE Headquarters and Afghanistan – 21-26 July 2008.
This memo provides a strategic and operational assessment of security operations in Afghanistan.
Full AAR at the link above. Excerpts (emphasis and links by SWJ) follow:
Read more ....
My Comment: This is the best report that I have read (recently) which covers the Afghanistan situation in a comprehensive manner.
Key points:
Bottom-Line: Six Assertions
(1) Afghanistan is in misery.
(2) The magnificent, resilient Afghan people absolutely reject the ideology and violence of the Taliban (90% or greater) but have little faith in the ability of the government to provide security, justice, clean water, electricity, or jobs.
(3) The courageous and determined NATO Forces (the employable forces are principally US, Canadian, British, Polish, and Dutch) and the Afghan National Army (the ANA is a splendid success story) cannot be defeated in battle.
(4) 2009 will be the year of decision.
(5) US unilateral reinforcements driven by US Defense Secretary Bob Gates have provided additional Army and Marine combat forces and significant enhanced training and equipment support for Afghan security forces.
(6) There is no unity of command in Afghanistan. A sensible coordination of all political and military elements of the Afghan theater of operations does not exist.
Each assertion is examined extensively in the report. Again .... if you want to understand the predicament that Afghanistan is in, and what we are getting ourselves into, this is a report that you should read.
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