Afghanistan Needs A Supreme Commander

Soldiers of the Kalagush Provincial Reconstruction Team prepare to walk to the remote village of Balik during a patrol in the rugged Titin Valley in the Nuristan province of Afghanistan on June 14, 2007. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Bracken, U.S. Army. (Released)

Amid Taliban Violence, Key Players Differ On Containment
Strategy -- Christian Science Monitor

The divergent approaches of the U.S., Pakistan, and Afghanistan highlight the complexity of developing a unified front on terrorism.

As Taliban violence surges, American, Pakistani, and Afghan leaders pursued clearly divergent approaches this week, underscoring the complexities of devising a coherent strategy to contain the problem.

While Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been trying to negotiate for peace with the Taliban, US drones fired once again on Taliban targets in Pakistan. And while the US Army prepares to change its military commander in Afghanistan, Pakistan has announced a new head of its troubled intelligence wing.

President Karzai disclosed on Monday that he has been trying to broker a peace accord with the Taliban. "The negotiations ... are increasingly seen as the only solution to the violent insurgency gripping Afghanistan," the Financial Times reports.

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My Comment: At moments like this I appreciate more the incredible job that General Dwight Eisenhower did in the Second World War. To keep different parties united takes leadership, direction, clear objectives, and a will to follow through. Qualities that have been lacking in Afghanistan for the past 7 years.