Elusive goals in Afghanistan - Los Angeles Times

Unless the U.S. can get Karzai to provide for his citizens to draw support from the Taliban, there will be no victory.

The strategic goal as defined by the Obama administration is to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a base by Al Qaeda or other groups that seek to attack the United States and its allies, as it was during the Taliban's rule and 9/11 strikes. To that end, Afghan and international forces are trying to rout the Taliban insurgency and help create a stable government in the capital of Kabul.

Many of these are political considerations, not military strategy. So Petraeus and his troops can do their best on the battlefields of Afghanistan, but unless he and other U.S. officials can get Karzai to protect and provide for his citizens to draw support from the Taliban, and unless they can persuade Pakistan to deny refuge to the insurgents, there will be no victory for U.S. troops in Afghanistan. .... Read More

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