Defeat in afghanistan a real possibility: Ashdown

Defeat in afghanistan a real possibility: Ashdown

www.reuters.com

LONDON (Reuters) - NATO is in disarray and the West faces defeat in Afghanistan unless it overhauls its counter-insurgency and reconstruction strategy, Britain's Paddy Ashdown wrote in an article published on Wednesday.

Ashdown, who was rejected last month by Afghan President Hamid Karzai for the post of senior U.N. envoy to the country, called in the Financial Times for renewed efforts to win Taliban moderates away from the insurgency.

"With fighting in Afghanistan now entering its seventh year, no agreed international strategy, public support on both sides of the Atlantic crumbling, NATO in disarray and widening insecurity in Afghanistan, defeat is now a real possibility...

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 13-2-2008 by DimensionalDetective]

Probably just another recruiting ploy to get other countries to send in more troops.

Here's an idea---why don't we quit farting around in Iraq, and reshift troops to afghanistan, where they SHOULD have been to begin with?

www.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 13-2-2008 by DimensionalDetective]

Paddy Ashdown is one of life's rarities, a politician with integrity who is eminently qualified to comment on Afghanistan and it's problems.

en.wikipedia.org...

I think it is wise to read all of the original article in The Financial Times to fully understand the context in which Ashdown made his comments and the reasoning behind them.
I'm sure you will see that it is a well balanced and reasoned arguement which if implemented could well address some of the root cause issues in Afghanistan.

www.ft.com...

It is certainly food for thought and free of political or nationalistic rhetoric.

reply to post by Freeborn


I agree - I think the Afghans made a mistake in vetoing his appointment. He has both extensive political and military experience (serving as both leader of the Liberal Democrats and as a member of the UK's elite SBS, or Special Boat Service) and also a key role in Bosnia.

Ashdown makes some very important points that the politicians of all NATO member states should take note of. War is never quick and easy - its consequences can go on for generations, and one would have hoped that all NATO members sent their troops to Afghanistan with that in mind. Some apparently haven't, but it's still not too late to sort out the mistake.

Yes, it could be a huge mistake vetoing his appointment.
He has all the qualifications and experience and whilst being politically astute he is free of political dogma.

His suggestions to develop and implement an integrated plan to address all the issues within Afghanistan smacks of common sense and good practice.
Hardly phrases that can be used to describe UN, NATO, Western Allies etc foreign policies recently.

The Afghani's are a proud and hardy people with a proud tradition of expelling foreign invaders.
We will not defeat The Taleban by military means alone.

General Sir John McColl is expected to be appointed to the position of UN Representative to Afghanistan.

en.wikipedia.org...

Whilst I know next to nothing about John McColl, I find it disturbing that he comes from a solely military background.
I hope I am doing him an injustice and that he proves to be a success in his role.