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| Afghanistan |
| New Afghan Strategy: Less Nation-Building, More Killing |
| 2010-10-14 |
Officials say a shift in U.S. war strategy has begun to take place in Afghanistan, away from classic counterinsurgency (protecting the population, providing basic services, promoting good government) and toward the traditional business of killing and capturing bad guys. Counterinsurgency (or COIN, as it's often called) is hardly dead. Many U.S. troops are still very much engaged in COIN operations. A surge of civilian officials and advisers, from several NATO countries, is well under way in Kabul's ministries in and several provincial districts. And COIN is seen as vital to Afghanistan's long-term stability. |
| Posted by:Anguper Hupomosing9418 |
| #7 "Go forth and smite thine enemies tooth and claw. Cut down their groves and vineyards, and plow their fields with salt." |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-10-14 17:57 |
| #6 The other countries are engaged in the nation building stuff, so it's not like nothing will be done if the Yanks aren't doing it. And our guys will still do some -- they can't help themselves. Orphanages and school supplies and medical treatment will continue to flow wherever they are. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-10-14 14:50 |
| #5 "Killing is the Sine Qua Non of war..." Can't remembe who said it, but it is ever so true. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2010-10-14 14:07 |
| #4 No comment by Curtis LeMay. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2010-10-14 13:59 |
| #3 Kill the bad guys, win, go home. What a novel concept. The dronezaps are something they have no defense for. That's why the bad guys hate them so much |
| Posted by: Dinah Kanser 2010-10-14 13:29 |
| #2 "...toward the traditional business of killing and capturing bad guys". Hooyah! It will be more effective than the kinder, gentler approach, and will likely result in less casualties to boot. Or not. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2010-10-14 12:26 |
| #1 advisers now believe that our objectives in the Afghanistan war can no longer be accomplished in sufficiently short time through COIN alone or even through a COIN-dominant strategy. Would that be.... next Summer? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-10-14 11:54 |