Excellent Questions About Afghanistan

I haven't highlighted a Ralph Peters article in awhile, but he had a good one in yesterday's New York Post.  He's beeen a regular critic of our operations in Afghanistan, but this article asks some particularly good questions.

Why, after almost a decade of our best efforts, is it ever easier for the Taliban to recruit Afghans willing to fight us to the death, while the government of President Hamid Karzai is now mooting a draft to fill its ranks?

That question needs an answer. Our entire mission is predicated on establishing a capable Afghan central government, Afghan army, and security forces that can control the country. If we can't do that, we can't ever leave, except in defeat.

Why is it that the Taliban, after discrediting itself during its years in power, has regained such popularity among Pashtuns?

That question is coupled with another.

Why is it that the Taliban's strength has grown in proportion to the number of troops the US, NATO and other allies have sent to Afghanistan?

Those would have been good ones to think about before we decided to commit even more troops. The whole article is well-worth reading. As Peters writes in conclusion,

Before we open fire, it's helpful to open our eyes. In Afghanistan, we're imagining the enemy we want, rather than seeking to understand the enemy we face.