Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division recover fuel at Forward Operating Base Waza K'wah in the Paktika province, January 29, 2011. The fuel was delivered by air drop, the task force's only means of resupply. US Air Forces Central Command/Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz
Donald C. Bolduc, Business Insider/Military Times: The US's 3 biggest mistakes in Afghanistan
* At the tactical level, the US military has performed well in Afghanistan.
* But their political leaders and general officers on the ground and in Washington have failed them, argues retired Army Brig. Gen. Donald C. Bolduc.
War is often filled with its share of mistakes and errors in judgment. It's the nature of this lethal business.
Some are the result of changing circumstances on the ground, while others are more systemic. The United States has committed more than a few during its 18 years in Afghanistan.
Indeed, the entire war is a story of one mistake after another, putting success or "victory" as we typically define it further out of reach.
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WNU Editor: I would add a few other mistakes. (1) Not getting a handle on the culture of corruption that exists in almost every aspect of Afghanistan life. (2) The role of Pakistan in providing safe havens and permitting its madrassas to be used as recruiting centres. and (3) limiting military operations against the Taliban with rules of engagement that do not make sense (my favourite one was the one that did not permit the raiding of homes of suspected Taliban fighters at night).
The biggest mistake was occupying that country. Should have kept the mission to raiding, taking down the Taliban, then playing king maker with the tribes. US Pulls out around January 2002. Raid complete.
ReplyDeleteRaid complete and then Pakistan plays king maker for the 2nd time.
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