by Colonel Gary Anderson
Download the full article: A Third Way in Afghanistan
When Ralph Peters of the New York Post and the editor of the New York Times actually agree on something, it is both an unusual occasion and a cause for reflection. In the case of Hamid Karzai, the leader of Afghanistan, we have one of those rare confluences of agreement. Both concur that Karzai has become more of a liability than an asset. His poorly thought out threat to throw in his lot with Taliban in response to Western disapproval, combined with his inept handling of the war, has lost him critical support in Washington and in Europe. Some Afghans think he may have lost his grip on reality; whatever the cause, he has made few friends in recent weeks among those he needs if he hopes to retain power. None of this bodes well for American strategy in Afghanistan. It is one thing to have an unstable ally in a war; we have dealt with shaky allies in the past. However, an ungrateful and unstable ally may well be too much to ask the American people to bear. It may be time to explore a third option between abandoning Afghanistan and enduring Karzai's ungrateful and demonstrably corrupt regime.
Download the full article: A Third Way in Afghanistan
Colonel Gary Anderson has peacekeeping experience in Lebanon and Gaza. He has also served in combat in Somalia and advised as a civilian in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is currently lecturing on Alternative Analysis at the Elliot School of George Washington University.
About the Author(s)
Gary Anderson is a retired Marine Corps Colonel who has been a civilian advisor in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is an adjunct professor at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs.
Comments
COL Anderson is echoing what many others are saying......start from the bottom up. Whether it is the "Gant Plan" and Tribal Engagement or some sort of district development plan using small advisor/ assistance teams, or a bunch of PRTs, it is becoming clear that to rebuild A'stan, we must work from bottom up and not worry so much about a top-down approach.