Can U.S. And Afghan Special Forces Salvage The Afghan War?

A coalition special operations forces service member defends his position from insurgent small arms fire during a firefight in the Sar Kani district of Afghanistan's Kunar province, March 7, 2012. A force of more than 100 Afghan commandos and coalition special operations forces searched an Afghan village for weapons caches and insurgents. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Clayton Weis

Can These Commandos Salvage The Afghan War? -- Danger Room

Part one of a two-part series.

LAGHMAN, Afghanistan — The American Special Forces officer was having what one colleague says was the worst day of his war tour. And that was before the Soviet-made anti-personnel mine packed with 700 ball bearings exploded at his feet.

A weapon like that can turn a man into “pink mist,” the officer says.

It was late September outside the town of Mehtar Lam, in this hilly province just east of Kabul. The officer from the Germany-based 10th Special Forces Group — let’s call him “Tom” — had been leading his patrol of U.S. commandos and Afghan police trainees on the long walk back to base following a disappointing encounter with Taliban fighters in which half of the trainees failed to fight back.

Tom glimpsed a mound of disturbed earth and, not thinking, approached it.

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My Comment: What's my opinion .... I am not so optimistic. Afghanistan is a huge country with millions of people and a geography that is both harsh and forbidding. Throw in a few thousand U.S. Special Forces with a larger contingent of Afghan forces may tip a major battle or two .... but in the greater picture it will not have a significant impact on the war. Afghanistan's problems start from the top down .... corruption, tribal/religious differences, drug lords and Al Qaeda related groups .... throw into this mix the different Taliban groups who are dedicated to the overthrow of the Karzai government and couple this with the ingoing interference from Pakistan's ISI .... you cannot help but feel that it is impossible to get ahead.

Afghanistan has to be seen as a long term project .... a conflict that is going to last for decades and that will consume both blood and treasure at an alarming rate. But do we in the West have the will to last that long .... hmmmm .... no .... and .... quite frankly .... neither should we.