I’m glad that McChrystal is out, but with Petraeus in I don't expect for the war to change.

[Cant trust em]

The more I read about the Afghanistan war, the more depressed I get. There is practically no long term political strategy that has been shown. The Karzai government is corrupt and cannot be trusted. The whole idea of a strong central government in Afghanistan is a joke. The Taliban is fighting us because we’re there and they aren’t going to stop fighting until we’re gone.

I don’t see any of these factors changing under Petraeus’ leadership.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. I don't know why anybody would expect one.

McChrystal wasn't fired over policy.

[spanone]

2. expect another surge

[tekisui]

6. Another surge was mentioned in the Rolling Stone article.

If they can show a reason, the military wants another surge next summer. It would be Obama's third.

[Abq_Sarah]

3. A policy shift

Has to come from the White House.

[tekisui]

4. You are right.

We are in it for a long long haul.

In fact, we are just ramping up. Violence has been accelerating. We are in the midst of the worse year of the near decade long war. There are no longer valid reasons to stay. No more goals that can be accomplished.

[SunsetDreams]

5. It wasn't about policy, it was about conduct

[msongs]

7. same commander in chief so CHANGE is not likely nt

[Blue Owl]

8. The deck chairs look nice in this rearrangement

But this Titanic is still sinking.

[oldgrowth]

9. Need to bring the draft back .nt

[Coyote_Bandit]

12. +1,000,000

Yep. Everyone would know the "war" is nothing but an occupation. Folks would pay attention.

Won't happen though. We have an underclass who will risk the odds of fighting for financial gain. The danger and risk of military service is unseemly and undesirable for most upper and middle class folks.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

13. THIS THIS THIS.

Can you tell I support your statement?



Everyone would care more about war if they knew their children could be sent to battle.

[grantcart]

10. Petraeus will probably give more support to negotiating with disparate

allies that are allied with the Taliban.

Petraeus seems to be more intellectually flexible than McChrystal.

BTW Between 1919 and 1929 Afghanistan ahd an effective liberal central government

“Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”


From 1929 to 1973 Afghanistan had one of the most liberal central government's in the middle east or central Asia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Afghanistan

Indeed the regime openly tolerated radical political groups:

Although Zahir's "experiment in democracy" produced few lasting reforms, it permitted the growth of unofficial extremist parties on both the left and the right. These included the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), which had close ideological ties to the Soviet Union. In 1967, the PDPA split into two major rival factions: the Khalq (Masses) was headed by Nur Muhammad Taraki and Hafizullah Amin who were supported by elements within the military, and the Parcham (Banner) led by Babrak Karmal.


While it is true that the Central government did not have control over all of the territory including the more distant mountanous regions it was not dissimilar to other countries in the region that still have the same difficulties today including China, India and Pakistan.

At one time Afghanistan had the most liberal policies for women in the Islamic world and had numerous women cabinet ministers.

[mucifer]

11. I remember several years ago on Al Franken's radio show. Franken was stating that

Patraeus is more intelligent and a better leader than most in Iraq and Afghanistan. That doesn't mean things will get any better.

[grantcart]

14. getting better or winning - in my opinion the only thing that matters is that

we give the Afghans time to train up and take over their own country.

This is all we can do, it is what we should do.

Patraeus is smart enough to understand that popular support for the war is limited and rather than trying to achieve a strategic victory they should be willing to support the handover to a viable Afghan government.