Blog
Global Issues: Conflict - Afghanistan
15th February 2010
The current ‘military surge’ underway in Afghanistan puts the conflict back in the spotlight not least in terms of questions of strategy and what type of war is being waged in countering the Taliban insurgency. ‘Clear, hold, build’ has been the holy trinity of counter-insurgency operations, but what exactly does this entail and what chance does it have of succeeding?
In terms of following the Operation Moshtarak – which aims to target Taliban strongholds in southern Helmand – the BBC’s website is particularly useful and Frank Gardner’s analysis is well worth following.
The Sunday papers had a few articles which ranged in their focus and opinion:
Maybe this is the end of the beginning (Sunday Times)
A leading article in the Sunday Times argues that the military surge underway in Afghanistan is a bold and necessary move. If it succeeds, it could mark the beginning of the end of the insurgency and the start of Afghan autonomy.
Let this operation be the last (The Independent on Sunday)
The leading article in the Independent asks: ‘What, we must ask again, is this war for? There is an alarming familiarity about the objectives of the offensive launched by American led forces in Afghanistan on Friday night. Clear, hold and build….Seven years on, it has not worked, and it is a definition of folly to repeat an action and expect a different result’.
Get out of the way - NATO’s planned offensive in Afghanistan (The Economist)
The Economist looks at how ‘NATO tries the power of advertising’:
“FOR months now United States Marines in Helmand, Afghanistan’s bloodiest province, have been sporting T-shirts proclaiming their intention: “Just do Marja”. This refers to a cluster of Taliban-controlled villages close to Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital. Marja’s lawlessness and the protection it affords to insurgents and drug-traffickers has been frustrating the marines’ efforts nearby. The T-shirt wearers are about to get their wish.”
The Newstatesman: Why the Afghan surge will fail The Newstatesman carries an article which argues that the Taliban will simply bide their time and emerge undefeated.