Towards a defeat of NATO in Afghanistan?

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Targol
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Towards a defeat of NATO in Afghanistan?




by Targol » 18/09/06, 14:26

From the site International mail

AFGHANISTAN
NATO deserted by its members
NATO calls to reinforce the contingent deployed in Afghanistan remained unanswered by its member countries, deterred by the intensity of fighting against the Taliban. A disavowal that risks compromising the mission of the Alliance, or even its existence.



NATO needs at least 2 additional troops in Afghanistan. During an emergency meeting of the 500 member countries of the Atlantic Alliance, on September 26, 13 at the headquarters in Mons, Belgium, this appeal was hardly heard. "NATO is facing a major credibility crisis as Allied military leaders have refused to send additional troops to help overworked soldiers engaged in fighting against Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan," notes The Guardian. Such reinforcement is all the more vital as the fighting is intensifying in the south of the country, a region which recently came under the responsibility of the Alliance. "The delay will be seen as a further sign of the reluctance of the majority of countries to commit troops" to this region, comments The Daily Telegraph.

35 000 men from 37 different countries are already deployed in Afghanistan, the Americans (19 000 men) and the British (5 000 men) forming the largest contingents. But in the southern province of Helmand, where NATO is conducting the largest military operation in its history, British, Dutch and Canadians are on the front line.

According to the Financial Times, Poland is "NATO's greatest hope". Warsaw has indeed announced the dispatch of 900 troops in addition to the 100 already present, but it would not be until 2007. The fact is that, five years after the intervention of the international coalition led by the United States , the mission launched in Afghanistan could end in failure.

According to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, "Afghanistan is a test of the Alliance's credibility," reports the Guardian editorial. For the British daily, "the only thing that matters is whether the NATO mission is able to extend the authority of the central government in Kabul by providing security - a condition for the return to normal life and economic prosperity - and at what cost ".

The question of reinforcing troops alone is insufficient in the eyes of the Guardian. "If sending more troops is just making the failure worse, if Afghanistan is doomed to be a new Vietnam, then it has no point."

"But what the hell did NATO do over there on the front lines," wonders Adrian Hamilton. The Independent columnist questions not only the Alliance's presence in Afghanistan, but also its survival in the post-Cold War world. NATO has set itself "new challenges to justify its existence - humanitarian intervention on other continents and a peacekeeping mission across the planet". But suddenly, "there is no longer a common objective and the role of NATO is confused".

What if NATO fails, if the Taliban wins? "Failure in Afghanistan would be largely due to European members of the Alliance refusing to provide additional troops," the Financial Times editorial notes. “But would failure necessarily be a bad thing?” Says Adrian Hamilton. "Or at least, would it be so terrible if NATO pulled out of these external missions and returned to a role of a European defense pact covering an enlarged Europe?" For Hamilton, "NATO's adventure in Afghanistan fails not because of the cowardice of its members, but because it is the wrong organization in the wrong place. And the allies are right to be reluctant to do so. 'engage even more'.
Philippe Randrianarimanana
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by Woodcutter » 18/09/06, 17:16

Maybe it would not be a bad thing?
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by gegyx » 18/09/06, 19:10

This conflict takes a bad turn. And that can only lead to horrors on both sides.
The Taliban seem to be gaining ground again as they have been clubbed by bombs, surrounded, guarded.
It's more than guerrilla warfare, and it will end in pants or oppos for NATO.
(Damn, France will still lose a war ... : Mrgreen: )

Today 4 Canadians are dead, in a kamicaze attack; They were distributing to children; the explosion injured a dozen ...
This type of action, and it's the end, for a regular army.
I experienced this with the Algerian war, and that (the bidding) does not lead to anything.
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by Targol » 18/09/06, 19:44

gegyx wrote:I experienced this with the Algerian war, and that (the bidding) does not lead to anything.


I'm going to be very naive, Gegyx, but since when does a war solve the problems? : Cry:
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by Woodcutter » 18/09/06, 20:41

gegyx wrote:[...] It's more than guerrilla warfare, and it will end in pants or oppest for NATO.
(Damn, France will still lose a war ... : Mrgreen: ) [...]
Moue .... we would have done better to stay out as the great general had done ...
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by Christophe » 15/07/10, 12:27

Big unearthing of subject: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdvjp0 ... es-us_news

During her show 14 June 2010, Rachel Maddow speaks about the enormous mineral wealth of Afghanistan. Although it would be a discovery in recent months, Rachel Maddow points out that the Times has shown that geological maps of Afghan soil, dating from the 1970 years, showed as in recent days, the enormous wealth of Afghan soil whether in gold, iron, copper or lithium.

The question that may arise is whether some had in mind, in the wake of the 11 2001 WTC attacks, to invade Afghanistan and stay there, to put their hands on his wealth?

According to Colonel Dave Lapan: "It is possible that the figure of trillion dollars underestimates the real potential" of these deposits, he said.



See the AFP article:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... bg1Y6fp48g

Discovering minerals: Afghanistan sitting on a trillion dollars

From Waheedullah MASSOUD (AFP) - 13 June 2010

KABUL - Afghanistan, a poor country that has been at war for more than eight years, is potentially sitting on a trillion of dollars thanks to huge reserves of minerals, according to a report by US geologists.

According to a Pentagon official, Afghanistan would have valuable mineral reserves on a much larger scale than previously thought.

The value of these deposits, which would include lithium, iron, gold, niobium and cobalt, was estimated at one trillion dollars, which would be enough to make this war-ravaged country one of the first global exporters of minerals. But this is only a preliminary estimate, Colonel Dave Lapan told reporters.

"It is possible that even the trillion dollar figure underestimates the real potential" of these deposits, he said.

In recent months, US officials have informed Afghan leaders of the final results of the study, which followed a first estimate of geologists dating from 2007, the Pentagon said. (...)
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by sen-no-sen » 15/07/10, 18:14

In addition to pipelines, they will have to install huge treadmills ...
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by Christophe » 15/07/10, 18:24

We should all live like him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw8X6-vdJ5A : Mrgreen:
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by oiseautempete » 16/07/10, 09:06

As for Lithium, its mining is ruinous and destructive, it is much simpler and much less polluting to exploit the salt lakes, which have a much higher concentration of lithium ...
Afghanistan is to be compared to some colonial or post-colonial (anti-communist) wars like Vietnam or Algeria, not by the context, but by the methods of the rebels / terrorists / religious fanatics:
- a large part of the inhabitants of the country are not especially in favor of the liberation forces for various reasons (ethnic, religious, fear of foreign occupation, etc ...) and not really against the rebels of which they share certain values
-corruption of local leaders (and it is massive in Afghanistan)
-Not really significant improvement in the lives of local especially because of the harassment of the rebels
-the rebels lead locals to their cause in all ways, especially: death threats and "exemplary" executions, food subsidies, religious indroctrination, etc ...
The only way for us to get out of this quagmire is to train and equip the Afghan law enforcement forces, then to get out quickly and let them "wash their dirty laundry as a family" because ultimately it is not our business: there is too much difference in mentality between these tribes and us, must not forget that all this is based on a feudal mentality mixing wars and religion + ancestral local traditions which date back to almost 15 centuries ( creation of Islam), the only difference compared to that time are the weapons and modern means of communication ... but not much more ... the poor peasants living as in those remote times ...
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