War Tourism

[robdogbucky]

Report: Afghan 'civilian surge' is struggling
Friday, March 05, 2010
By PAULINE JELINEK
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) The so-called ''civilian surge'' in Afghanistan is mired in bureaucracy and may not succeed in time to help the war effort, a State Department report found.

The report released Friday said U.S. diplomats spend too much time giving war zone tours to visiting officials . They have struggled to house, feed and transport an influx of new civilians. And they can't get regular sleep because bosses at the National Security Council and others in Washington call for briefings from midnight to 4 a.m., apparently unworried about the different time zone.

The department's inspector general said the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, and his team made impressive progress during their first six months in Kabul toward carrying out the ''civilian surge'' ordered by the Obama administration to accompany its military push...

...The report said about 100 groups including more than 700 people had visited by October and that a dozen more congressional delegations were expected by the end of 2009. 'Some describe the incredible volume of visitors from all branches of the federal and even state governments as 'war tourism,' the report said.

http://www.kcbs.com/topic/ap_news.php?story=AP/APTV/National/a/w/US--CivilianSurge-Afg



So we can see this current push has been well-marketed to those 'war tourists,' prior to its execution. Like making sales pitches and rolling out a new product line.

Why am I not surprised?




Just my dos centavos


robdogbucky