Are Iraq and Afghanistan That Different?

Clearly they are significantly different when when it is notable that a commander with Iraq experience is taking his first spin through Afghanistan.

So without commenting on Dunford’s military competence, we can still ask one quite obvious question:

Why is General Dunford being nominated as the COMISAF when, as the story concedes (in paragraph seven), “Gen. Dunford has served in Iraq but has never served a tour of duty in Afghanistan.”

Really? Ten years in Afghanistan, and almost three years after the President’s West Point speech, and we can’t find a commander who has served in Afghanistan before? Is the cupboard really that empty? As one who made the Iraq to Afghanistan transition, I can assure you that it’s neither simple, nor easy. Afghanistan is exponentially more complex—and harder.

By: Brant