If I had to pinpoint the single most important reason recent U.S. train-and-equip efforts have failed, I’d say it’s this: We consistently fail to understand that other people want to pursue what they see as their interests and objectives, not ours.
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The Hard Lessons of Kunduz and Syria
Posted October 5th, 2015 at 11:14 am (UTC-5)
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Afghanistan: Is Taliban Siege on Kunduz Déjà Vu All Over Again?
Posted October 1st, 2015 at 1:54 pm (UTC-5)
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It is not only the Middle East where one can see the results of President Barack Obama’s strong belief in keeping the U.S. military out of far-flung conflicts. A year after the bulk of U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban made a bold — if short-lived — move on the northern city of Kunduz. With a strong U.S. military assist, Afghan forces were able to retake control after four days. But the episode was ominous. Is Afghanistan ready to defend itself against a committed Taliban movement with only 9,800 U.S. soldiers on hand? Obama is making good on his campaign promise to end both U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But by doing so, Americans are now forced to examine what is left behind.
The Wrong Way to Handle the Kunduz Tragedy
It is unclear why a court of inquiry was not used in the Kunduz case…Such a court would have been closed to the public when classified evidence was being examined, but much of it could have been open. That alone would have fostered greater confidence in the results.