Ghost of a flea: Lest we forget

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September 08, 2009

Lest we forget

Christopher Hitchens misses the mark as he urges us to remember why we are in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is, he reminds us, a long war against "Islamic terrorism". His argument, however, is primarily (supposedly) focused on the case of the long war in Afghanistan.

The needle oscillates, and will continue to do so, but the four requisites are in place: citizens rejecting theocracy and its partner, organized crime; an indigenous army that fights for its own reasons; American airstrikes that are careful and discriminating; and the development of splits that can be exploited among the jihadists. A mixture not unlike this worked in Iraq, at least to the point where the conflict could be redefined. It is not yet inevitable that a comparable outcome is beyond reach in Afghanistan.

Fair dues. Except once you read the piece you will discover his examples for each of these four requisites are drawn from neighbouring Pakistan. If his argument were that to win in Afghanistan we need to defeat the Taliban in Pakistan - and, perhaps more important, defeat the central government of Pakistan - I would say he had made his case.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at September 8, 2009 06:37 AM

Comments

I think the need to defeat the Pakistan Taliban is out there and being acted upon. I've been reading about the territory Islamabad is recapturing from the Taliban, and I'm encouraged that the noose may finally be tightening on all the terrorists in that region.

Just to be sure, though, could someone in India please announce that they have no plans to attack Pakistan? That way the Pakistanis will have no excuse not to throw everything they have at the Taliban vermin and exterminate them.

Posted by: cousinarlo at September 8, 2009 09:03 PM