Afganistan, should we have learned from the russians?

[toms]

I was just watching a UK tv news article about how the situation in Afganistan is deterioratiing and it occured to me that maybe we should have payed more attention to the Russian experience in Afganistan.

 

Considering the russians were there for years and never managed to defeat the Taliban it seemed surprising that we beat them so easily when we invaded. But maybe this apparent victory was the same thing that occured to the Russians when they invaded. They then suffered years of having their soldiers picked off by guerilla warfare.

 

It appears that, in addition to trying to control the various warlords, the coalition forces have decided to try and crack down on the massive opium trade and shut down the poppy fields.

Unfortunately the local population relys on the poppy fields for most of its income, so the attempt to prevent drug production has lead to a massive swell of dislike for the coalition forces... and a corresponding rise in popularity of the Taliban.

 

Whereas a year or so ago it looked like they had been all but crushed, now they are resurgant. Gaining new recruits all the time. Carrying out guerilla attacks and gaining public support all the time.

 

And whereas a few months back they were talking about reducing the UK troops in Afganistan, now they are talking about increasing them.

 

Can the coalition forces do what the russians never could and defeat a popular, fleeting enemy? Or do they have to become popular themselves, even if it means turning a blind eye to the drugs trade?

[El Sitherino]

I like how we had to resort to helping Opium trade to get the farmers to help us take out the Taliban.

[TK-8252]

Strange how the Mujahideen rebels that we funded to fight the Soviets are the very same fighters that are attacking us now, in the very same situation that the Soviets were in.

 

Eh?

[Point Man]

Defeating the government forces was only the beginning. The real work is in the reconstruction. Just as it took years to rebuild Japan and Germany after WWII, it will take years to get Afghanistan and Iraq to a place where they are stable and peaceful. I just pray we have the strength of resolve to see it through.

[toms]

It kinda seems that it wasn't even a beginning.

 

I never did get how a people that made life so miserable for the occupying russian forces were so easily defeated by the incoming US forces. But I guess I was just fooled by the government and media and the whole "we won" vibe.

 

I wonder if the russians thought that they had won when they initially invaded.. and then spent the next 10 years or so counting their growing number of dead?

 

(PS/ I like your sig quote... )

[Point Man]

It kinda seems that it wasn't even a beginning.

 

I never did get how a people that made life so miserable for the occupying russian forces were so easily defeated by the incoming US forces. But I guess I was just fooled by the government and media and the whole "we won" vibe.

Well, ever since the US-Haiti adventure during the Clinton administration, we have defined victory as being successful in anything more difficult than brushing your teeth.

 

I wonder if the russians thought that they had won when they initially invaded.. and then spent the next 10 years or so counting their growing number of dead?

Nope, they didn't allow the media to count the totals.

 

(PS/ I like your sig quote... )

Thanks. When I hit the big 4-Oh, I had to add it. I saw somewhere that Winston Churchill said it, but later learned he never did. It does sound like him, though, doesn't it?

[Samnmax221]

Nope, they didn't allow the media to count the totals.

We know that the Mujahideen were knifing Russians on the street right and left within blocks of the russian HQ in Kubal. Things are by no means this bad, the only people we are fighting are mostly Foreign fighters coming in from Pakistan, and Taliban who want control back.

[The Source]

The major problem with Afganistan is that George Bush went onto Iraq before he was done. I think we should move out of Iraq, and get back into Afganistan to finish the job. I think George Bush's biggest mistake was not to finish the job, and to make sure everything there was stable. I truely believe his second biggest failure was not capturing Osama. Moving from a defensive war to an offensive war was premature.

 

Strange how the Mujahideen rebels that we funded to fight the Soviets are the very same fighters that are attacking us now, in the very same situation that the Soviets were in.

Eh?

We live in one messed up world. Don't we. I think they call it irony.