It’s time to unleash America’s airpower in Afghanistan - David Petraeus and Michael O'Hanlon

President Obama’s desire to avoid large new ground commitments in the Middle East is, in many respects, understandable, given the experiences of some 15 years of war. At present, however, the modest number of U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan operate with one hand tied behind their backs — at a time when Afghan forces, though fighting hard, are struggling. That should be changed. We should unleash our airpower in support of our Afghan partners in the same way that we support our Iraqi and Syrian partners against extremists.

At present, U.S. and NATO airpower in Afghanistan is used only to attack validated al-Qaeda targets, to counter specific individuals or groups who have attacked coalition forces previously and to respond directly to attacks on coalition forces. According to leaders on the ground, U.S. and NATO forces are otherwise not allowed to attack Taliban targets. The situation appears to be in flux in regard to Islamic State elements, but through 2015, they too could be targeted only under narrow circumstances.

The origins of this contorted policy are, once again, somewhat understandable, even if the policy itself should be changed. When he was Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai frequently objected to NATO’s use of firepower, especially when tragic accidents took the lives of Afghan civilians. Though this war has probably involved the most carefully controlled airpower in the history of warfare, with NATO troops taking extraordinary measures to protect innocents, mistakes inevitably occurred. Karzai’s accumulated frustration led him to increasingly react to such tragedies not just with private outrage but also public excoriation. At times, the mission’s future hung in the balance. To minimize such friction, while also prodding Afghans to view the fight against the Taliban more as their own and less as ours, Obama decided to end NATO targeting of the Taliban in most situations.

Also, some administration lawyers harbor concerns that the authorization for the use of military force approved soon after 9/11 does not extend to justify the continued use of force against the Taliban. That is logic we believe unfounded; after all, it was the Taliban that allowed al-Qaeda the sanctuary it used to plan the fateful attacks 15 years ago. In addition, the Taliban, in cahoots with the Haqqani network and other extremist elements, is trying to overthrow the very Afghan government that is now committed to keeping al-Qaeda and the Islamic State at bay.

We do not need a big U.S. troop buildup in Afghanistan, but we should take the gloves off of those who are there. Afghan forces are doing perhaps 99 percent of the fighting on the ground, and that is as it should be — though as the tragic recent casualties in Helmand and near Bagram Airfield reminded us, Americans are certainly still in the fight.

The development of the Afghan air force will take a least a few more years. In the meantime, we can and should do more to ensure that the Taliban does not win the war, which could lead to new sanctuaries for al-Qaeda and the Islamic State on the eastern flank of their broader area of operations. Vigorous use of the airpower we already have in the region is the most logical and straightforward next step for doing so. - Read More at the Washingtonpost
David Petraeus and Michael O’Hanlon: The U.S. needs to keep troops in Afghanistan

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