Afghanistan’s strategic importance is still up in the air

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2 Responses

  1. North says:

    Agreed Jamelle. In isolation my own to hell with em tendencies suggest we’d serve both the people of Afghanistan and our own interests best by closing shop and getting the hell out. Unfortunatly there is a moral component to it as well; America has been stirring the pot in that region for quite a while in the middle of last century and I’d think it could be argued that our abrupt departure after the Soviets folded may have led to the Talibans rule. Certainly I think there’s weight to the position that after decades of meddling in one way or another and after swooping in and flattening the previous regime that we have a certain obligation to try and help the locals put something back together again. (That’s what seperates me from Derbyshire’s to hell with em Hawks who espouse flattening the place and leaving.) Whether it’s within our ability to rebuild (build?) a society there is another question though I’d like to add that the War on Drugs ironically is once again screwing us sideways. If americans spray herbicide on the local farmers primary cash crop I don’t think it’s very surprising when the idle fellow picks up his AK and goes sniping after Yankees.Report

  2. Rob says:

    I think that Michael Gerson means from what is posted above is that with a stable legitimate Afghanistan government is that it would take a major training ground from al-Qaeda so that they can’t carry out another 9/11 type attack. As for al-Qaeda/Taliban attacking with a NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) weapon I don’t know which country would be reckless enough to give them the materials. Yes, chemical and biological are easier to make but harder to be effective. As for nuclear material is needed and any country that sells a terrorist group nuclear material would not exist or be functional after the said attack.

    The one question that is still bothering me is that exact goals of Obama to be in Afghanistan. I understand the destruction of al-Qaeda or removing the training/hiding areas for them. One of the other reasons could the age old reason: natural resources. Since the 90s large amounts of oil has been found in the Caspian Sea. Could some plan be in the works to get the oil out of there by going through Afghanistan.

    Just some thoughtsReport