Myths about 'unwinnable' Afghanistan - Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

(CNN) -- Look more closely at the conventional wisdom on Afghanistan, however, and it is clear that some facts have been left out of the well-trod arguments about the "unwinnable" battle that has become America's longest war: - More

"Even though Afghanistan has suffered severe internal wars and coups, falling victim to the entire gambit of 20th-century ideologies, the country and its people have shown remarkable resilience."

In fact, warlords received dollar-backing long before any serious investment in rebuilding and developing the country ever got under way. As the International Crisis Group said recently, "selecting some of the most violent and corrupt people in the country, stoking them up with suitcases of cash and promises of more to come and then putting them in charge was never a recipe for stability, never mind institution building."

Ordinary Afghans desperate for better governance ask reporters often and openly why the U.S. has backed those who are so obviously corrupt.

"The irony is that it is supposed realpolitik which has proved to be an unaffordable indulgence, at the expense of ordinary Afghans who have suffered the consequences of both injustice and insecurity," they write.

This lack of justice has left Afghans eager for a system that is, at the very least, less corrupt and wondering whether they will ever enjoy public institutions that are not predatory.
The United States will not be in Afghanistan forever. Neither can it be seen to pull out precipitously without jeopardizing the gains that Afghans who are working hard every day to create a more secure nation have achieved.

Too many precious lives have been lost and limited American resources have been invested in this war for a shaky hold of the facts to shape our debate. Before we look ahead at ending the war, we must acknowledge how we got here -- and whether or not it is too late to do something about that........ More - Myths about 'unwinnable' Afghanistan - Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Myths About "Unwinnable" Afghanistan - Council on Foreign Relations

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