What is our goal for Afghanistan?

Three questions for Obama: What is our goal in Afghanistan, who are we fighting and who are we supporting?

Transcript:

Afghanistan – it’s been called the ‘graveyard of empires’ because for the last 2500 years every major power that’s tried to conquer it has left in defeat. And, according to Gen. McChrystal, it’s a war we’re not winning either.

Before President Obama decides how to turn it around, he needs to answer a few key questions he’s so far been reluctant to address.

First, What’s our goal in Afghanistan? To win the hearts and minds of the people? or defeat and destroy Al Qaeda and the Taliban?  Obama has declared both to be our goals, yet achieving them requires very different, often competing tactics.

Second, Who are we fighting in Afghanistan? Not Al Qaeda  - they’ve moved on to greener pastures in Pakistan. The Taliban? Well, There’s the Pakistan Taliban, the Afghan Taliban, regional warlords and narco-traffickers – who fight each other as much as they fight us. Are we fighting all of them?

Third, Who are we supporting? Are we seen, yet again, as supporting corrupt, incompetent, unpopular leaders? Afghanistan’s election underscored how ineffective the Karzai government – Karzai’s brother is one of the leading drug lords in Afghanistan; Human Rights Watch has accused Karzai’s running mate of being a torturer, rapist and murderer. Are these the people we’re asking American men and women to defend?

Finally, whatever happens in Afghanistan pales in importance to Pakistan and its nuclear weapons. Even if we do manage to defeat the militants, win the hearts and minds of the people, and serve as midwives to a self-sustaining democracy in Afghanistan, it could all be for naught if Pakistan falls to extremists and it’s nuclear arsenal ends up in the hands of jihadists bent on destroying America.

America need not join the list of great nations which have failed in Afghanistan but, so far, things don’t look good.