Afghanistan, in Today's News 04.02.10

Afghanistan. One week after a visit by President Obama and about a month after the initiation by the United States of their much-heralded military offensive against the Taliban, Afghan President Karzai has shown his support by blasting the US, its allies and the United Nations. 

Today's Wall Street Journal, Karzai "...charged Western officials and embassies with fraud in last summer's presidential elections..." Karzai accused the US of bribery and death threats. He said the US efforts also included offers of cash and armored vehicles.

What prompted this outburst?

The United States has been trying to oust Karzai for some time. The US did just what Karzai alleges in an effort to remove his government, perhaps overthrow it, but at least force him into a coalition government in the last elections. The whole effort failed only because the US-sponsored candidate got cold feet and declined to participate in the run-off election.

WSJ: "Associates of Mr. Karzai say he was deeply wounded by what he considered Western treachery against him." The WSJ journal does not mention it, but it should be remarked that Senator Kerry played a key role in the treachery, when he flew to Afghanistan to pressure Karzai into accepting a run-off election.

Karzai took his time after the election, but when he felt he could, he issued a decree taking control of the Independent Election Commission, which had played the central role in trying to influence the election against Karzai.

Today's outburst occurred because parliamentary elections are scheduled for September and already Karzai has detected the manipulations of the US. In short, Karzai is fighting for his life. It doesn't worry him that his remarks might cause the US to undermine him. The US already is, and has been for some time.

One final note: Obama might be asked how his offensive is going? The Afghan government is providing very little support. Karzai, after much prodding of his staff, had to be awakened from a mid-day nap to hear of the plans for the offensive. It took a major effort to force Karzai to go to the initial military target, Marjah, to listen to the residents there. He also showed his support by appointing a thug to preside over the newly 'liberated' area. Karzai has also repeatedly accused the US of needless killing of civilians.

The media will never mention it, but Obama's efforts in Afghanistan are a little short of disastrous.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 03.06.10

Afghanistan.  Another triumph in Marjah!! Today's Wall Street Journal reports that the new Marjah administrator chosen by the Afghan government likely spent four years in a German prison for assault (beating his stepson).

"Behind closed doors, Western officials have been pressing Afghan officials to have [the administrator] removed from his post..."

And so, having conquered a rural, deserted village, the 'allies' can't even get the Afghan government to play along and appoint someone with standing. President Karzai seems to care little about the progress of the Marjah campaign.

Post Script, 03.09.10: The US and the 'allies' have backed off from efforts to have the administrator removed. Evidently, there was no one better to put in the post and President Karzai stuck to his position. And so, yet another embarassment for the 'allies', as their much ballyhooed Marjah campaign ends up putting a thug in power.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 03.04-07.10

Afghanistan. On to Kandahar!!!  The United States and its 'allies' having conquered a rural and mostly deserted, undefended Marjah, is now ready to push on to Kandahar. 

Kandahar is a city of some 700,000 that is supposedly a center of the Taliban. The US strategy is to form a security zone around the city, to cut off inflow and outflow of the Taliban.

This action may have been a good idea in the middle ages when a castle or walled city was put under siege. But in the context of the modern world and the current type of warfare, the security zone is doomed to futility. First, in the terrain of Afghanistan, the 'allies' cannot hope to seal off the city. 

Second, all 700,000 inhabitants can't be Taliban. Thus, it is inevitable that lots and lots of innocent people are going to be antagonized by the inconvenience of check points, and especially check points by foreigners. 

Third, the surrounding tactic has been tried many times since World War II, all without success. The first attempt was in Algeria, where the French tried fruitlessly to isolate the Casbah. It didn't work and the French soon went home.

But, this is the type of strategy that the Israelis advocate and carry out against the Palestinians. And therefore, given the present mind-frame in Washington, the American war-planners think the strategy has to be a good one.

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.22-27.10

Afghanistan. The media's pravda-like coverage of the US offensive in Marjah, Afghanistan continues. One would think that the US is completing a magnificent strategic and tactical victory. The reality is quite a bit different.

The latest achievement is the arrival in Marjah of the Afghan-appointed new administrator of the area. The media describes this event as a turning point, as a key event in eventual success. Take a look at the reality:

There is no government building in Marjah. Lack of security is such a problem that this new official spent his first night in a simple tent in the middle of a heavily armed security zone. His tent had a red rug with floral designs and a cot. He received military meals. Hail the conquering hero! [Sarcasm]

The rest of the bureaucracy (health, schools, utilities) that will be imposed on Marjah has yet to make it there. One can easily understand their fear.

The Wall Street Journal (February 24) described the situation with the Afghan police: "The biggest challenge for the government, Afghan officials acknowledge, will be to reverse the damage done by the national police who served in the town before the Taliban takeover. Locals uniformly [!] complain the police were brutal and corrupt." [!]

Another big victory was recored. Three (yes, three, count them) elders played up to the US forces, telling a tale of how they rebuffed the Taliban. Such confessions are suspect, of course, when there is a power around that has millions of dollars to distribute.

To win support, the US forces distributed food. "After the food distribution some 20 [yes, 20, again count them] men signed up with the Marines for $5-a-day jobs cleaning roads and irrigation canals." [Sarcasm added.]

The final stupendous [sarcasm] achievement has been the hoisting of the Afghan flag in Marjah. This was supposed to signify something, but who knows what. It occurred surrounded by a heavy 'allies' military presence at a empty building that is now called the government offices.

And so, the 'allies' great military action continues its merry way. In the meantime the Taliban struck again in the capital, Kabul, with a three-hour battle that was heard throughout the city. In the aftermath, a key hotel and two guesthouses were found to be severely damaged.

So, while the allies continue their make-believe in Marjah, the Taliban is massing its forces in Kabul, preparatory to driving the Karzai and his government out of power.

Is there anyone who does strategic thinking for the 'allies?'

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.17-21.10

Afghanistan. It is difficult to figure out whom the US government is trying to fool with their offensive in Afghanistan. Is it themselves, the military, the Taliban, the Afghan government, the American public? Who?

The question has to be asked because the media coverage is so different from the reality. The media seem to think the offensive in Marjah is one of the greatest battles in American military history. But is it really? What is this Marjah place anyway? Just what are the 'allies' conquering?

Marjah is an agricultural center of some 75,000 people spread over a wide area. The central buildings (the government office, schools) are mere shells and have not functioned for years. The irrigation canals have fallen into disuse with garbage and refuse filling them up. Most people have left the area to avoid the 'allies.' 

The 'allies' have met only token resistance to their full-scale invasion of some 15,000 troops. (Does it really take a fully-armed force such as this plus helicopters to capture what is almost a ghost town?) 

The Afghan government is even more of a joke. The Wall Street Journal revealed that President Karzai had to be awakened from a mid-day 'nap' to be briefed on the offensive on the eve of the invasion. Evidently the briefing was his first acquaintance with the action, which had been reported for weeks in the American press. 

Known as the 'President of Kabul', Karzai gave his assent to the offensive, but covered his butt by saying there should be no civilian casualties. He then appointed someone to be the administer for the new Marjah. The only problem is the 'allies' know nothing of this figure, who has failed to appear in Marjah, despite the 'victory' there.

The US has no confidence in Karzai, having tried to oust him before and during the presidential elections in Afghanistan last year. The WSJ reported (2.19.10), "US officials have concluded that despite Mr. Karzai's failings as a leader, they have to find a way to make him lead if they [the 'allies'] are to succeed."

How about the Afghan army and police? WSJ (2.19.10): "The Afghan army and police are still works in progress, beset by desertions, and their members frequently picked off by the Taliban. The police are despised by many Afghans, who view them as corrupt and predatory." [!!!!!]

Meanwhile the 'allies' are announcing the capture or killing of a number of Taliban leaders, mostly in Pakistan. Whether these leaders are actually leaders is unknown. The Pakistanian forces could easily pick up anyone and claim he is a Taliban leader.

The US State Department sent an official to Marjah to see if the area was ready to be transformed by American plans and money. His conclusion: "I don't think we are there yet." (WSJ 2.20.10) Why did he conclude this? WSJ: the official found "the town so devastated by years of war and neglect that it was hard to imagine scores of civilians setting up shop there very soon."

The official is quoted upon seeing the ruins of the government center, "Is there a good part of town?"  Further, "Where are the Afghans?"

To sum up: the US is conducting a major offensive to capture an area in ruins which even the Afghans have abandoned. The Afghan president appears to hardly care about the military action.

The question is, just what do the allies think they are capturing? They are seizing an area that the Taliban is perfectly willing to let them have. The Taliban only needs to do a few small-scale counterattacks to keep the 'allies' pinned down. Meanwhile the Taliban can concentrate its forces somewhere else, where the 'allies' are not.

One is almost forced to conclude that this offensive is just busy work to allow Obama time to try to get the Saudis to convince the Taliban to reach a settlement. There is no other road out for Obama. He cannot win militarily. The longer the conflict goes on, the more he will face opposition from the American public and from his own party. And the costs of the action continue to sky-rocket at a time when the public wants government costs and taxes reduced. 

Afghanistan, in Today's News 02.13.10

Afghanistan. The much publicized US and allies' offensive in Marjah, Afghanistan, has begun. The media is treating this action as if it had the importance of say, the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. The Wall Street Journal, for instance, has a page one lead that jumps to an entire page devoted to the offensive.

But, it is all absurd. The US is in reality invading a town of some 75,000 people that threatens no one. Here's how the WSJ describes the town: "Marjah...[is] spread out over a vaguely rectangular area some 12 miles north to south, and about six miles wide at points. Much of the town is farmland, with clusters of houses and shops. It is crisscrossed with canals and irrigation ditches built with US foreign aid in the 1950." And: "Marjah...is spread over an area with no paved roads and few modern conveniences, not even regular electricity."

And so it takes a fully armed assault of 7,500 troops backed up with helicopters to capture this hapless farm area that is barely a village. The WSJ reports, "The immediate resistance to the landings [of troops] was very light..." [!!!!!]

Wow, can you imagine that. No resistance. And the media is terming this a major battle and potential victory.

In reality the 'allies' are stepping in with overwhelming military force to turn the lives of the villagers upside down. As Lt. Col. Calvin Worth, commander of the main assault force, said, "The people of Marjah will wake up to a new Afghan government tomorrow."

Lt. Col. Worth ought to be ashamed of himself. Compare his words with that of any of the founding fathers of the US regarding creating a new government. Worth's approach betrays the great ideals of the founding documents of the US, which emphasized getting rid of the foreign oppressors so that the people themselves could organize their own government.

Instead the US is bringing in what they call a "government-in-a-box," a ready-made administration that is intended to allow the Afghan government to quickly reassert its authority. 

"Coalition commanders hoped the presence of so many troops in Marjah would convince tribal elders to side with the government..." (WSJ) They won't convince anyone. They might intimidate people into tolerating the authority of the corrupt Kabul regime, but they won't convince a soul. 

This orientation is not how a Christian nation ought to act. Where is the compassion and the desire to help people with their lives as they actually exist? The orientation is instead an imitation of how the Israelis do business. Brute force to take over an area. And so we have further evidence of the de-Christian-izing of America.

It will be interesting to follow this offensive. It won't be long until the rationalizations begin to explain the lack of accomplishment.

One final note: How are the allies going to determine who is a Taliban fighter and who is a villager? The Afghan government has an answer. "Afghan soldiers know how to 'tell the difference between the terrorists and the farmers,' said Mohammad Zahir Azini, a spokesman for the Afghan military." (WSJ)

Yeah, right. How many times were similar words heard in Vietnam where whole villages were destroyed to 'save' them? Any Afghan males in Marjah over about 12-years-old would be well advised to run for their lives if they don't want to be shot or end up in some stockade.