Afghanistan, Iraq: Two Very Different Wars

U.S. Marines conduct a vehicle sweep to ensure there are no hidden improvised explosive devices during a security patrol through the Nawa district in the Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 28, 2009. U.S Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Artur Shvartsberg

From AP:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHANK, Afghanistan — Veterans of Iraq recall rolling to war along asphalted highways, sweltering in flat scrublands and chatting with city-wise university graduates connected to the wider world.

Now fighting in Afghanistan, U.S. soldiers invariably encounter illiterate farmers who may never have talked to an American as they slog into remote villages on dirt tracks through bitterly cold, snow-streaked mountains.

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My Comment: The Soviets made the same observations when they occupied Afghanistan in the 1980s. Their soldiers were prepared to fight tank battles on the plains of Europe .... but in Afghanistan their tanks were useless and their battle tactics totally inadequate to the terrain and culture of the region.

Iraq's Militia Clash Could Bode Ill For Afghanistan

U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Collins, bottom, Cpl. Tim Garrett, left, and Staff Sgt. Travis Smith provide sniper overwatch during clearing operations in Shuzayf, Iraq, March 26, 2009. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Walter J. Pels

From The Danger Room:

U.S. forces are forcibly disarming one of their key allies in the fight for Iraq. And that has major implications for America's future -- both in the Middle East, and in Central Asia.

Street fighting erupted in Baghdad this weekend after the arrest of Adel Mashadani, a Sunni militia leader and key figure in the "Awakening" movement. Now, for the first time, Mashadani's Awakening council is being disarmed and disbanded; U.S. and Iraqi officials "are not going to allow it to re-form," according to the New York Times. This has sparked a lot of concern about a great unraveling in Iraq, even as the Obama administration shifts its attention to Afghanistan.

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My Comment: Arming and training local militias has always been a double edge sword. There is always a strong possibility that they will turn against you .... which has already happened in some isolated cases within Iraq.

As I had remarked in a post a few days ago, the next two years are going to be crucial for Iraq. if it succeeds, there is a chance that Afghanistan will also succeed. But if Iraq falls apart, and sectarian fighting breaks out again .... the hope for Afghanistan to succeed will unfortunately be appreciable lowered.

A New Policy Towards Afghanistan And Iraq

New Administration to Realign Priorities in Iraq, Afghanistan -- Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON -- The election of Barack Obama will trigger a significant realignment of U.S. national-security priorities, with Afghanistan and Pakistan gaining in prominence as resources are redirected from Iraq.

U.S. policy in the two regions has been shaped by the Bush administration's decision to commit the bulk of the nation's military and financial resources to Iraq, where the ouster of Saddam Hussein set off a prolonged civil war, rather than to Afghanistan. The focus on Iraq left the Afghanistan mission chronically short of troops and money.

The incoming Obama administration sees the challenges differently. Aides said Mr. Obama is likely to deploy tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, where security conditions have worsened markedly in recent months and attacks by the Taliban and others have risen. They said Mr. Obama also would devote more attention to neighboring Pakistan, whose support is seen as crucial to defeating the Taliban and al Qaeda and stabilizing Afghanistan.

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Blowback From Iran's Support Of The Taliban

Failed Afghan Drug Policy Harming Us, Says Iran -- The Guardian

Young Iranians are paying the price for Nato's "failure" to curb opium production in neighbouring Afghanistan, according to the Iranian government.

Iran's deputy foreign minister, Mehdi Safari, made the complaint at the end of a three-day visit to Britain, after talks with the foreign secretary, David Miliband, and other Foreign Office and Downing Street officials, in an attempt to improve relations. One of the few areas of cooperation between Iran and Britain is counter-narcotics, but Safari expressed frustration at what the Iranian government sees as a lack of progress.

"Unfortunately the situation in Afghanistan every day is getting worse and worse. If you compare it to five or six years ago, it is more than gloomy," Safari told the Guardian. He said the volume of opium-based drugs being smuggled through Iran from Afghanistan - the source of more than 90% of the world's opium - had increased fivefold over five years, and the drugs themselves had become far more potent.

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My Comment: The flow of drugs recognizes no borders. This problem will only get worse as the Taliban continue their war against coalition and Afghan forces, as well as against Pakistani forces.

Russia is also experiencing this same boom in opiate addictions.

Secretary Of Defense Robert Gates And Adm. Mike Mullen Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff On Capital Hill Today

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, left, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen testify on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008, before the House Armed Services Committee hearing on the security and stability in Afghanistan and Iraq. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

U.S. Has Entered "Endgame" In Iraq: Pentagon Chief -- Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Wednesday the war in Iraq had entered its "endgame" and urged the next U.S. president to continue a cautious approach to troop cuts.

"Our decisions today and in the months ahead will be critical to regional stability and our national security interests for years to come," Gates told U.S. lawmakers.

"I have cautioned that no matter what you think about the origins of the war in Iraq, we must get the endgame there right. I believe we have now entered that endgame," he said.

Gates said a spiral of violence had been reversed and Iraq had made progress toward political stability over the past year and a half but the situation remained fragile and commanders were not yet sure security gains would endure.

President George W. Bush announced on Tuesday a modest cut in U.S. forces in Iraq, saying 8,000 troops would come home by February because violence there has dropped substantially.

Read more ....

More News On Today's Defense And Congressional Meeting

US now in the 'end game' in Iraq: Gates -- AFP
Pentagon chief cites caution on US troop pullout -- FOX News
Gates: We have entered the endgame in Iraq -- USA Today
Gates Cautious On Iraq Improvements -- CBS
Gates cautious on U.S. troop pullout -- Washington Times
US to focus on Pakistani border -- BBC
U.S.'s Top Military Officer Calls for Better Strategy in Afghanistan -- Washington Post
Pentagon official: Afghan strategy not working -- MSNBC
Top officer: U.S. "runs out of time" to win Afghan war -- China View
U.S. 'running out of time' on Afghanistan, Joint Chiefs leader says -- L.A. Times
US Military Seeks New Afghanistan Strategy -- Voice Of America
Mullen: Victory possible in Afghanistan -- Air Force Times
Joint Chiefs chairman offers Congress sober assessment on Afghanistan -- Stars And Stripes
Admiral: Troops alone will not yield victory in Afghanistan -- CNN
Military Brass: U.S. Running Out of Time in Afghanistan -- ABC News

My Comment: A sober assessment for both Iraq and Afghanistan.