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Another Ominous Sign from Kabul

By Jack M. Balkin

My post two days ago argued that our mission in Afghanistan is a looming disaster. The Taliban cannot be defeated (at most they'll fade away and return) as long as the government is corrupt and despised by the Afghan people. There is nothing we can do to eliminate corruption in the Afghan government. And our military presence there makes terrorism worse because it inflames Islamic radicalism worldwide.

The New York Times reports today that President Karzai expressed angry defiance in response to Obama's lecture about reducing corruption.

Here's the money line in the report: "As for American, British and other NATO troops now fighting the anti-government Taliban insurgents, Mr. Karzai said 'there is a thin curtain between invasion and cooperation-assistance.'"

That's the thing. We always see ourselves as the good guys--bringing the rule of law, democracy, human rights, and all that stuff--without recognizing that those on the receiving end might see us as self-interested, heavy-handed invaders. And it is precisely because our troops are widely seen by Muslims as invaders that terrorists are lining up to attack us.

Sunday update: The bad news flows daily, apparently with Karzai now issuing hints about turning to the Taliban if we keep up the pressure on him. That's our guy.

?There is no point in having troops in a mission that cannot be accomplished,? said Peter W. Galbraith, the former deputy special representative to the United Nations in Afghanistan. ?The mission might be important, but if it can?t be achieved, there is no point in sending these troops in to battle. Part of the problem is that counterinsurgency requires a credible local partner.?

Right.

Meanwhile, more US troops and Afghan civilians are dying, and the terrorists keep coming.


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Full post as published by Balkinization on April 02, 2010 (boomark / email).