Jeff Schogol, Task & Purpose: Taliban Fighters Rout Afghan Security Forces Across Country
Any illusions that the Taliban were interested in negotiating a peaceful settlement with the Afghan government and its international partners have been dashed by four days of grueling fighting across the country, during which the Taliban have reportedly occupied Ghazni city and wiped out up to 100 Afghan commandos in a demoralizing blow to Afghan security forces.
Since August 10, the U.S. military has launched at least 24 airstrikes from B-1 bombers, A-10 Thunderbolt II attack craft, AH-64 Apache helicopters, and MQ-9 Reaper drones to support Afghan troops and police fighting to retake Ghazni, killing more than 140 Taliban fighters, Resolute Support spokesman Army Lt. Col. Martin O’Donnell told Task & Purpose
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WNU Editor: It is safe to say that this strategy has failed .... One year in, Pentagon pins hope for Trump Afghanistan strategy on Taliban change of heart (Jamie McIntyre, Washington Examiner).
4 comments:
From what I have read about the ASSfghan govt, they don't have a prayer of resisting the Taliban without some nation's help.
As long as the US backstops the national govt with firepower, the Taliban can’t win. I see no path for the US and national govt to beat the Taliban. So the stalemate will continue until the US walks away, that’s probably after the 2020 US election.
I agree, however, I don't think it's going to take until 2020. The Taliban will wear us down until we are forced to withdraw UNLESS we can make a bigger commitment which we lack either the ability or the willingness to do.
Recently the editor reported we were negotiating with the Taliban without the Afghan government. This may be our best option. Negotiate our own separate agreement with the Taliban, get out, and hope Al Qaeda or ISIS don't come in and use the area as a staging area for attacks on the US or that the Taliban doesn't do this. If this is combined with proper homeland security and proper vetting of people entering America, this may be enough. It's probably better than our current strategy. We really don't have many good options left.
For the nth time, we have to leave this country. Taliban will win? so what. I still have a hard time to see the strategic sense of that.
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