Category: Afghanistan War

Six years after the US went into Afghanistan the US Marines’ commander says that the situation in Afghanistan is confusing.

The U.S. Marine commander Gen. James Conway said U.S. commanders on the ground spoke of signs of progress, such as the failure of Taliban militants to launch an offensive last spring or summer and the killing of a few Taliban leaders.

However, at the same time intelligence reports going back to 2004 showed Taliban attacks and the casualties they caused both rising. They also indicated a possible increase in the amount of territory the militants controlled and the influence they wield over Afghan tribes, Conway said.

“It is a bit confusing at this point because we as a department need to see it the same way and quite frankly, at this point in time, we just don’t,” Conway told reporters.

Asked if that should be how conditions should be more than six years after the United States invaded Afghanistan, Conway replied: “Well, no… We as a department need to have a common view so that we can agree upon the actions that need to be taken — no question about that.”

Two studies released this week said Afghanistan could soon once again become a failed state and terrorist haven unless there were renewed international efforts to win the war and develop the economy.

United States President George Bush announced in his last State of the Union address that 3,200 additional Marines would be soon deployed to Afghanistan. That sounds like too little too late to me. The Taliban are not likely to give up ever. It will take a major effort to knock them out of Afghanistan for good.