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| Afghanistan |
| Study: Afghanistan could fail as a state |
| 2008-01-30 |
| Afghanistan risks sliding into a failed state and becoming the "forgotten war" because of deteriorating international support and a growing violent insurgency, according to an independent study. The assessment, co-chaired by retired Marine Corps Gen. James Jones and former U.N. Ambassador Thomas Pickering, serves as a warning to the Bush administration at a time military and congressional officials are debating how best to juggle stretched warfighting resources. The administration wants to re-energize anti-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where al-Qaida is regenerating. But the U.S. still remains heavily invested in Iraq, and officials are sending strong signals that troop reductions there will slow or stop altogether this summer. "Afghanistan stands at a crossroads," concludes the study, an advance copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. "The progress achieved after six years of international engagement is under serious threat from resurgent violence, weakening international resolve, mounting regional challenges and a growing lack of confidence on the part of the Afghan people about the future direction of their country." |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #8 #5: Afghanistan could fail as a state No sh*t. I should start a thinktank. Posted by: Excalibur|| 2008-01-30 09:35 | Excal, you already belong to one. It's called "Rantburg U". 8^) |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-01-30 16:22 |
| #7 Afghanistan doomed itself when it allowed Islam into the constitution. Apparently it didn't get enough of the Taliban. "International resolve" is not going to grow for such risky self-destructive territory unless there is some major resource such as oil to be tapped -- which there is not. [It's just like Gaza embracing Hamas: the culture does not seem to be adapted for survival.] We gave them a chance and they're blowing it. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2008-01-30 12:24 |
| #6 To fail as a state, it must first be a state, not a collection of warring tribes. How about we pick a winner and back them taking over. Say the first tribe that adopts the bikini and speedo as their national costume. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-01-30 10:21 |
| #5 Afghanistan could fail as a state No sh*t. I should start a thinktank. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2008-01-30 09:35 |
| #4 93% say security has improved over the last 6 months. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2008-01-30 01:56 |
| #3 The question that right should be asked of history is when did it ever succeed as a "state." |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-01-30 01:19 |
| #2 And sea is wet. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-01-30 01:08 |
| #1 Afghanistan could fail as a state "Could"? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-01-30 00:42 |