LAT: Afghanistan war nears 'tipping point': Another long, costly fight with Islamic insurgency?

[DeepModem Mom]

Afghanistan war nears 'tipping point'
Government support is flagging, NATO is split on strategy, and Taliban fighters are revitalized.
By Laura King and David Holley, Times Staff Writers
December 9, 2006

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — The conflict in Afghanistan has entered a dangerous phase, and the next three to six months could prove crucial in determining whether the United States and its NATO partners can suppress a revitalized enemy — or will be dragged into another drawn-out and costly fight with an Islamic insurgency, according to senior military and security officials and diplomats.

"I think we are approaching a tipping point, perhaps early in the new year," said a Western diplomat in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the situation publicly.

Popular support for the central government is faltering, and Western military allies are deeply divided over how best to combat the insurgency.

On the other side of the fight, the Taliban has regained the strength to dominate large swaths of Afghanistan; government control is tenuous at best in at least 20% of the country, according to several Western diplomats and Afghan officials.

Militants have built a network of bases in the tribal hinterlands that straddle the frontier with Pakistan. Over the last year, a growing number of mobile encampments on the Afghan side of the border have given the insurgents greater self-sufficiency, military officials say, although the guerrillas still draw heavily on logistical support and weaponry funneled from the Pakistani side....

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-insurgency9dec09,0,2649427.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[Fovea]

1. Ah, a tipping point

That's like a turning point, only on the vertical axis.

[babylonsister]

2. I'm heartened to read that democracy is taking hold over in

Afghanistan. :sarcasm:

Wasn't their progress used as a road map to mold democracy in Iraq? Guess that's not working out so well either.

[Drum]

3. You would think that our so-called Secretary of State,

the "Russia expert" Condi Rice, might've provided some perspective or advice in avoiding a repeat of the Soviets' 10-year debacle in Afghanistan.

:shrug:

[rodeodance]

4. drats drats drats

[independentpiney]

5. It's the same tribal insurgencies that took out the Brits 2x and the

Soviets. No invader/occupier can hold Afghanistan.

[wellst0nev0ter]

6. B--Bu-But We SENT 1/50th of The Troops To Afghanistan

that we've sent to Bosnia. And we've spent 25 times less rebuilding Afghanistan as we've spent rebuilding Bosnia. Nation building is hard work

:sarcasm: