Mattis says war in Afghanistan needs to end: '40 years is enough'

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY TAL AXELROD - 12/04/18 08:38 AM EST

Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Monday called for the international community to help end the war in Afghanistan and aid regional leaders in their efforts to bridge longstanding disagreements, saying that conflicts in Afghanistan have now gone on for “40 years.”

“In Afghanistan, it’s gone on now it’s approaching 40 years; 40 years is enough and it’s time for everyone to get on board, support the United Nations, support Prime Minister Modi, support President Ghani and all those who are trying to maintain peace and make for a better world here. So, we are on that track,” Mattis told reporters ahead of a meeting with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman.

The U.S. has had a military presence in Afghanistan for 17 years, since 2001, when it removed the Taliban government from power, but Afghanistan has been in conflict since the late 1970s when U.S.-backed Afghan guerillas repelled the Soviet Union from the country in a nine-year battle.

Since the U.S. has had a presence, however, troops have been bogged down in an insurgency waged by the Taliban and other armed groups.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/419584-mattis-says-war-in-afghanistan-needs-to-end-40-years-is-enough

[TomVilmer]

1. Nonviolent Afghans Bring a Breath of Fresh Air

"Iqbal and his fellow People’s Peace Movement ( PPM ) representative, Badshah Khan, had an unusual and delightfully different conversation with the young Afghan participants of the ‘Youth on the Road to Peace Conference’ on the 26th of September 2018, organized by the Afghan Peace Volunteers ( APVs ) in Kabul. We acquiesce to continued international arms sales because we are comfortable in our pet beliefs and fixed ideas about defeating ‘terrorists’ through superior warfare."
http://vcnv.org/2018/10/17/nonviolent-afghans-bring-a-breath-of-fresh-air/

"The U.S. Never Dropped As Many Bombs On Afghanistan As It Did In 2018. The increase is primarily due to a change in the rules of engagement which allows coalition forces to open fire on the enemy without being in contact with them. That change was orchestrated by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis who wants to remove such restrictions to employ air power more effectively. Unfortunately, the change in the rules combined with a higher pace of airstrikes by the Afghan Air Force has also led to more civilian deaths."
https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2018/11/13/the-u-s-never-dropped-as-many-bombs-on-afghanistan-as-it-did-in-2018-infographic/#45fb79192fae

"US envoy on Afghan peace in Pakistan for talks over Taliban. Zalmay Khalilzad is in Islamabad for discussions on how to bring the Taliban to peace talks."
https://www.independent.ie/world-news/us-envoy-on-afghan-peace-in-pakistan-for-talks-over-taliban-37593661.html

[cilla4progress]

2. That would make the death of our childhood friend there

last week

the 5th last death.

[llmart]

3. Some of us knew when it started...

that it would be a boondoggle. In the US we sure know how to start a war but never know how to get out of it and this one is the worst/longest in history.

Wasn't it representative Barbara Lee who was the only one who voted against the resolution? She was excoriated for her vote.

[FormerOstrich]

4. IMHO

the day they voted on that resolution was the darkest day in US history (or at least in my lifetime). STILL.

[nil desperandum]

5. I always liked

Mattis, as a leader he was tough and fair and realistic.

That realistic part matters a great deal, and is often lacking for a variety of reasons in today's general officers. Not through any generic fault of the officer corps, but more through a risk adverse leadership style that's required these days to maintain promotability for those officers.

There was no scenario under which the Afghans were going to become a consumer oriented democratic republic, there's probably no scenario under which Afghanistan is ever truly peaceable internally for a host of reasons. We'd need a century of occupation and commitment to nation building we don't possess to make anything close to that happen.

Here's hoping we heed his advice and bring those young men and women home before we lose anymore of them.