Bill Roggio
After virtually 17 years alongside boots on the ground, Resolute Support plainly withal does non empathize the Taliban’s strategy inwards Afghanistan. Or, if NATO’s mission does, its leaders are beingness intentionally obtuse inwards populace statements inwards guild to view its populace relations crusade inwards back upwardly of the Afghan armed forces in addition to government. Just this week, Resolute Support spokesman Captain Tom Gresback claimed that Taliban operations inwards remote district centers “represent a meaning lowering of ambition.” Below is the sum quote, from a Reuters report that discusses the fighting inwards the southern provinces of Helmand in addition to Farah, where the Taliban stimulate got lately made meaning gains: “Taliban offensives inwards these remote areas correspond a meaning lowering of ambition afterwards their failure to stimulate got whatsoever provincial capitals inwards 2017,” U.S. Navy Captain Tom Gresback, spokesman for the NATO-led Resolute Support coalition, said inwards an emailed statement.
Gresback is parroting the trouble given yesteryear his boss, General John Nicholson, the commander of Resolute Support. Two months ago, Nicholson claimed Afghan forces had a successful 2017 inwards that it “[denied] the Taliban whatsoever of their stated battlefield objectives … In 2017 the Taliban failed to stimulate got whatsoever provincial capitals.”
Of course, Nicholson falsely attributed a strategic destination to the Taliban that it never claimed. (For to a greater extent than background on this, run across Afghan in addition to Coalition forces fix for 2018 offensive against the Taliban.)
The Taliban has explicitly stated that business office of its strategy is to stimulate got command of remote areas inwards guild to pull per unit of measurement area to a greater extent than populated areas, including district centers in addition to provincial capitals. In fact, this strategy was explained yesteryear Mullah Aminullah Yousuf, the Taliban’s shadow governor for Uruzgan, inwards Apr 2016.
Based on the U.S. military’s ain statistics, the Taliban has had success: nearly half of the districts inwards Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan are controlled or contested yesteryear the Taliban.
If the U.S. armed forces in addition to Resolute Support genuinely does non grasp the Taliban’s strategy virtually 17 years afterwards entering the country, nosotros strongly advise its commanders in addition to its strategists stimulate got a history lesson. In his concept of People’s War, Mao Zedong believed it was of import to expire along the back upwardly of the people in addition to cope inwards rural areas to sap the strength of regime forces in addition to extend its lines of communications. The Taliban has had success inwards both areas; it is e'er engaging the Afghan populace in addition to clearly maintains plenty back upwardly to sustain its insurgency nationwide, spell the Afghan safety forces are stretched sparse in addition to its bases ofttimes are nether siege or overrun entirely.
If the armed forces is intentionally obscuring the dire province of affairs inwards Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan inwards guild to puff upwardly Afghan safety forces, that may live on fifty-fifty to a greater extent than disturbing. Without a clear, honest assessment of the province of affairs inwards Afghanistan, policy makers in addition to the populace volition lose the military’s trust, tire of the war, in addition to ultimately halt supporting it. Support has already waned inwards unopen to cases. For virtually a decade, elevation U.S. armed forces leaders stimulate got provided wildly optimistic assessments of the capabilities of the Afghan safety forces in addition to downplayed the condition of the Taliban’s insurgency. Yet the Taliban is stronger today than at whatsoever shout out for since the initial U.S. invasion.
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