Patricia Gossman
U.S. Army General John Nicholson is repeating the unsafe mistakes of the past. In a recent interview he echoed the mantra of his predecessors, that the novel U.S. armed services strategy — which includes increasing both air power as well as the release of American troops preparation Afghan forces — has fundamentally changed the province of affairs inward Afghanistan. Nicholson, commander of U.S. forces inward Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan as well as caput of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission since March 2016, should know meliorate past times now. A U.S. Army crew primary flying on board a CH-47F Chinook helicopter observes the successful exam of flares during a preparation flying inward Afghanistan, March 14, 2018. U.S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Gregory Brook/Handout via REUTERS.
In 2014, Nicholson’s predecessor, General John Campbell, said that he, too, had “seen the change.” General Joseph F. Dunford referenced “the inevitability of our success” inward 2013. His predecessor, General John Allen, declared, “We are winning. We are winning.” In 2011, General David Petraeus said that U.S. forces had “reversed the momentum of the Taliban.” General Stanley A. McChrystal, inward 2010, idea that “success is yet achievable," spell General David McKiernan, inward 2009, observed that the U.S. of A. was non “losing inward Afghanistan.” And on it has gone since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban from powerfulness inward 2001.
U.S. armed services commanders mightiness take away hold a meliorate feel of what’s actually going on if they spent to a greater extent than fourth dimension visiting civilian medical facilities similar Nangarhar Regional Hospital, every bit I did in conclusion December. I interviewed recent air as well as drone smasher victims, similar the 15-year-old man child who had to take away hold both feet amputated afterwards an Afghan the world forces helicopter gunship strafed his family’s motorcar spell they were on their agency to a funeral, killing his aunt as well as injuring 3 others.
These endless claims of “victory tomorrow” are bookended past times some other catchphrase used to dampen expectations: “Afghanistan is non Switzerland.” Foreign armed services commanders as well as officials take away hold used i version or some other for years. The novel U.S. national safety adviser, John Bolton, made the comparison to justify U.S. forces working closely alongside warlords. Petraeus said the U.S. of A. was non “trying to plough Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan into Switzerland … [just something] adept plenty for Afghanistan.” And the UN Secretary General’s particular instance to Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, commenting on the prospects for credible elections in 2010 next the tainted 2009 vote, said, “They volition non travel Swiss elections, they are going to travel Afghan elections.”
U.S. service fellow member passes inward front end of a MQ-9 Reaper drone, i of a squadron that has arrived to footstep upward the deal against the Taliban, at the Kandahar air base, Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan Jan 23, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
Lost inward all this positioning is the stark fact that since 2009 the state of war has claimed the lives of 28,291 civilians as well as injured 52,366. The U.N. notes that those numbers are alone the casualties it could confirm. The existent numbers are most probable much higher. The Taliban as well as other insurgents take away hold been responsible for roughly lxx pct of those deaths as well as injuries, as well as Afghan authorities forces as well as international — largely U.S. — forces take away hold been responsible for the rest—the most recent inward Kunduz where an Afghan Air Force assault on the Taliban killed dozens of civilians, including children, at a religious gathering.
The numbers don’t enjoin the total story, though.
Kabul residents I interviewed alive alongside a constant fright that the side past times side insurgent suicide assault volition take away hold their loved ones. Many described the horror of searching hospitals as well as morgues for relatives afterwards the latest bombing. Similarly, Afghans from rural areas of Nangarhar as well as Herat told me they alive inward fright of croak from the skies as well as asked me, “Why can’t they encounter at that topographic point are women as well as children?” earlier they launch an airstrike. Many take away hold tried inward vain to instruct some official acknowledgement of their loss. After the latest suicide bombing inward Helmand, a novel protestation elbow grease has emerged, calling on all parties to halt the killing.
U.S. officials tout successes, similar an functioning that killed Qari Hakmat, a dissident Taliban commander who had sworn allegiance to Islamic State inward northern Afghanistan, but the escalation inward U.S. air operations has non rid the province of groups linked to Islamic State or persuaded the Taliban to “reconcile.” Instead it may take away hold helped spur a tit-for-tat bicycle of retaliation, alongside urban areas taking the brunt of insurgent attacks, something U.S. officials acknowledge. U.S. officials profess to “take all allegations of civilian casualties really seriously.” But U.S. armed services investigations into civilian casualties rarely include talking to airstrike witnesses. If they did, the generals inward accuse mightiness meliorate empathize why civilians are dying.
The U.S. commander inward Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan would take away hold a lot to a greater extent than credibility alongside ordinary Afghans if he ended U.S. alliances alongside abusive law chiefs, militia forces as well as warlords; reinstated as well as improved on measures that really trim back civilian casualties; as well as ensured proper compensation as well as accountability when such casualties occur. That would travel a existent modify Afghans would welcome.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patricia Gossman is the senior researcher on Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan at Human Rights Watch. @pagossman
Buat lebih berguna, kongsi:
