The war effort in Afghanistan suffers from a lack of attention to the volatile politics of the country, according to a former adviser to the top U.S. general there.
"The United States and its allies have not thought rigorously enough about how U.S. and allied interests might not align with those of the Afghan government," said a report from Andrew Exum of the Center for a New American Security. Exum had been an adviser to Gen. Stanley McChrystal.
"Good counterinsurgency tactics and operations cannot, in and of themselves, win a campaign," according to the report being released Thursday.
When two top Pentagon officials testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, they gave a newly upbeat assessment of the war, putting the best face on a conflict that many senior military officials worry could go either way.
"I'm cautiously optimistic," said Defense Undersecretary Michele Flournoy, offering a view shared by a top general who testified alongside her before sometimes skeptical lawmakers. "The insurgency is losing momentum."
Let's just hope that Flournoy's statement doesn't become her version of Dick Cheney's infamous May 31, 2005 statement, right before the whole country exploded in 2006.
The insurgency in Iraq is "in the last throes," Vice President Dick Cheney says.
By: Brant
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