AFGHANISTAN AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY

What do you think of President Obama's newly formulated troop surge strategy in Afghanistan? For yours truly, this strategy places this country once again, on the dangerous precipice of a protracted futile military campaign with little or no hope of success. A potential quagmire of a well intentioned Geo-political military campaign designed to bring Afghanistan into the fold of United States colonialism and puppet regimes. Under the guise of eradicating terrorism and fighting them over there, instead of on the streets of New York, the newly designed troop surge represents the underpinning of United States foreign policy.

The current leadership of Afghanistan is tainted with charges of corruption and its ability to effectively govern is suspect. One has to wonder if any new regime of governance will be effective, as this country is not systemically designed for a U.S. endorsed and controlled pseudo-democratic government scheme.

The concept of colonialism and puppet regimes is hardly a new phenomenon and not necessarily always a negative and disdainful undertaking. Colonialism and puppet regimes are rich in history and prevalent since the dawn of mankind. From before and after The Great Roman Empire, states have attempted to inflict their ideology and will upon other states. The historically accurate resultant reality has almost always been miserable failure and carnage as the Colonial Empire fails to effectively implement its grand design.

Sometimes, a clear line of demarcation is present and the options and course of action are undeniably clear to nations. No dispute can exist as to the legitimacy of intervention in World War II. Hitler and his Nazi regime were clearly a menace to all of Europe, Africa and the Americas. Intervention by the United States undeniably thwarted Hitler's maniacal design for world domination and a master race.

In Korea the United Nations (including the United States) stopped the 'red menace' from spreading to the heartland of America( Eisenhower's so called domino theory). Although this military campaign resulted in a stalemate at the 38th parallel, The North Koreans with Chinese assistance failed to claim the south as their territory. A costly maintenance of the 38th parallel stalemate was then initiated and maintained by the United States.


In Vietnam, The United States attempted once again to quarantine the Red Menace by denying North Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh access to the south. As in Korea, a campaign of containment became the focus of United States policy . We could not allow the south to fall to communism and the concept of "killing a Commy for Mommy" was alive and well.

In Vietnam, we under estimated our adversary. Although President Johnson and Washington bureaucrats should never have prosecuted such a conflict unless they were willing to let the military hierarchy effectively engage and defeat the enemy, the jury is still out as to whether the Vietnam Conflict would have ever resulted in a favorable outcome for the United States. This conflict was marred by President Johnson's Cold War considerations of drawing the Russians or Chinese into the conflict, resulting in a new World War. Thus, United States strategy and ability to prosecute a successful military campaign was hindered from the onset by additional considerations and worries. Essentially, U.S. foreign policy was doomed to failure upon arrival of the first U.S military advisers arriving in South Vietnam.

History repeats itself and as the adage goes, if you don't learn the lessons from the past, you are bound to repeat them and so we come full circle back to Afghanistan. Can we really prosecute an effective military campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan? How can we truly accomplish the "mission" as long as the Taliban seeks refuge in Pakistan?

Engaging in guerrilla warfare in Vietnam proved unnervingly challenging, foreign and frustrating for the boots on the ground at the time. The terrain of Afghanistan is equally hostile and unforgiving. The Taliban seek refuge in their conduit of caves and the safe haven of Pakistan.

In Vietnam, the North Vietnamese would seek refuge in Cambodia and Laos. Any proactive intervention in this regard was secretive and conducted covertly by the CIA, since the aforementioned countries were neutrals in the conflict.

Similarities exist in this instance with Afghanistan. Taliban seek refuge in neutral Pakistan. For public relations on the national stage, Pakistan announces its increased vigilance in eradicating the Taliban presence from its borders, but such declarations are comically devoid of profound sincerity. The Taliban control regions of Pakistan and not the Pakistani Army. Of additional significance, Pakistan walks a tight rope as it dances with the United States and attempts to maintain harmony in the Islamic universe.

How can we forever alter the violence and rid Afghanistan of the Taliban, as long as Pakistan is a safe haven? Is it realistic to think of this conflict as a war of attrition?

With vast numbers of dedicated and radical members of Islam throughout the world, it is difficult to believe that we could prevail in a war of attrition. Are we underestimating the resolve of our enemy. The Russians certainly did, with disastrous results.

Is an exit strategy, incorporating the training and utilization of a viable Afghan army a realistic concept? In Vietnam, the buzz word became "Vietnamization." As I recall, this strategy was a glaring failure.

We lost many so many kids in Vietnam. Young men who never had an opportunity in life to raise families and grow old. A mere thirty something years after the Vietnam debacle, we count Vietnam as among one of our friends and a trading partner. Hindsight is always easy. However, if only we could turn back the clock and alter history. I would certainly enjoy the prospect of altering history and bringing those young American kids and innocent Vietnamese caught in the crossfire back to life.

Currently, The United States is losing young men in Afghanistan. Although some are older and this is a voluntary army, it does not diminish the profound loss of each and every soldier. History is being written. I hope and pray that the American public will not experience "Groundhog Day" in Afghanistan.