U.S. plan B for Afghanistan has its own problems
source: http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Afghanistan-Pakistan/idUSTRE58O2MZ20090925
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By Sue Pleming
WASHINGTON - While President Barack Obama wrestles with the idea of committing more troops to Afghanistan, a counter proposal is also on the table -- trim American forces and focus narrowly on counter-terrorism.
It is an idea associated with Vice President Joe Biden.
More resources would go toward training Afghan forces to fight their own war, and U.S. troops would be withdrawn gradually from the firing line. Pilotless drones, already striking targets in Pakistan's tribal areas, would be increasingly relied upon to hit al Qaeda's leadership and keep them on the defensive.
As a plan, it has its appeal, but it has plenty of critics too.
"I don't think it works," said Michael O'Hanlon, a military expert from the Brookings Institution.
"If you try to do counter-terrorism from long range then you lose the intelligence you need to carry out any intelligent strikes, because you no longer can protect the people who you need to give the good information."
Drone attacks inevitably cause civilian deaths and tend to fuel radical anti-Americanism. In the long run, the United States could even lose the use of air bases in the region. (more)
WASHINGTON - While President Barack Obama wrestles with the idea of committing more troops to Afghanistan, a counter proposal is also on the table -- trim American forces and focus narrowly on counter-terrorism.
It is an idea associated with Vice President Joe Biden.
More resources would go toward training Afghan forces to fight their own war, and U.S. troops would be withdrawn gradually from the firing line. Pilotless drones, already striking targets in Pakistan's tribal areas, would be increasingly relied upon to hit al Qaeda's leadership and keep them on the defensive.
As a plan, it has its appeal, but it has plenty of critics too.
"I don't think it works," said Michael O'Hanlon, a military expert from the Brookings Institution.
"If you try to do counter-terrorism from long range then you lose the intelligence you need to carry out any intelligent strikes, because you no longer can protect the people who you need to give the good information."
Drone attacks inevitably cause civilian deaths and tend to fuel radical anti-Americanism. In the long run, the United States could even lose the use of air bases in the region. (more)
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arcticspirit
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Drones have their place, but what they were doing before was giving them valuable intelligence that actually told them where to put the drones that caused the least civilian deaths and hit military targets.
Can't just do half of a war effort. Is Biden and crew serving some political interest to loose this war?
- 2 years ago
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arcticspirit
