Small Wars Journal

A Clear and Sober Assessment on Afghanistan

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Tue, 03/15/2011 - 7:11pm
A Clear and Sober Assessment on Afghanistan by Max Boot at Commentary. BLUF: "Overall, despite inevitable setbacks and continuing challenges, I'd say that the counterinsurgency campaign - which began in earnest only in the fall of 2010 - is going about as well as can be expected right now."

Comments

G Martin

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:52pm

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Another positive development is the growth in size and effectiveness of the Afghan National Security Forces, especially the army. As Petraeus noted, "[T]he past year alone has seen Afghan forces grow by over one-third, adding some 70,000 soldiers and police."

Size- yes. Effectiveness?? Not sure how they are measuring that- but returning BDE and BN level leaders that I've heard from don't agree with "growth" in effectiveness.

The issue, perhaps, is two-fold: effectiveness is very hard to measure and the only true way to guage their effectiveness is through an independent assessment from outside of ISAF. Unfortunately for ISAF: NTM-A is biased and IJC's partnered units would be blamed for a failed relationship if they reported low effectiveness...

bpwolf (not verified)

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 3:42pm

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Having read and admired the works of both Max Boot and Bing West, I just cannot avoid concluding that one of them, in this case the former, is pretty far off the mark.

Adam (not verified)

Wed, 03/16/2011 - 1:36pm

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Given the retreat from the Peche, the failure to link far-flung villages and hamlets to the central government and the failure of any Taliban elements to lay down arms I can't begin to imagine we have any initiative or momentum in Afghanistan.

Anonymous (not verified)

Tue, 03/15/2011 - 8:43pm

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How do we define momentum? I've searched for this definition for over a month and found nothing.

How do we measure momentum, to determine if it has been reversed?