Afghanistan was never the target of NATO intervention. Who the hell cares for a backward, landlocked and primitive society. Afghanistan though was an excellent vase to destabilize Pakistan. Our very presence there, and our taking action against fleeing Jihadis in Pakistan itself, was more then enough reason for Pakistanis to to rebel against their leaders.
Pakistan is a nuclear armed country with an unstable load of extremist Muslims. It is also the base for most Jihadis. Pakistan is therefore the logical target. Of course we can never publicly acknowledge that fact.
This is an asymmetric war. What I mean here is not the standard reason but the fact that in this war, we ie us non-Muslim civilians are being attacked by informal gangs of civilian Muslims or even an individual Muslim. Western nations weaponry and force projection is not based that concept. Our military doctrine is based on knocking out nations. That process does lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, which i itself leads to even more casualties, but the concept itself does not require the deliberate targeting of civilians.
In this asymmetric war therefore, the only way we can engage the enemy on his “field of battle” is by police methods i.e., hobbling our military with Rules of Engagement that make them virtually a police force.
Next question. How do we turn this situation around so that field of battle is of our choosing.
Good. Our policy is working.
Afghanistan was never the target of NATO intervention. Who the hell cares for a backward, landlocked and primitive society. Afghanistan though was an excellent vase to destabilize Pakistan. Our very presence there, and our taking action against fleeing Jihadis in Pakistan itself, was more then enough reason for Pakistanis to to rebel against their leaders.
Pakistan is a nuclear armed country with an unstable load of extremist Muslims. It is also the base for most Jihadis. Pakistan is therefore the logical target. Of course we can never publicly acknowledge that fact.
This is an asymmetric war. What I mean here is not the standard reason but the fact that in this war, we ie us non-Muslim civilians are being attacked by informal gangs of civilian Muslims or even an individual Muslim. Western nations weaponry and force projection is not based that concept. Our military doctrine is based on knocking out nations. That process does lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, which i itself leads to even more casualties, but the concept itself does not require the deliberate targeting of civilians.
In this asymmetric war therefore, the only way we can engage the enemy on his “field of battle” is by police methods i.e., hobbling our military with Rules of Engagement that make them virtually a police force.
Next question. How do we turn this situation around so that field of battle is of our choosing.