Peace Pundit reader Craig Watson sent a summary of an article from El Pais, the Madrid (Spain) daily newspaper. The article’s author interviewed former Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan who are now important Russian politicians and leaders of veteran groups. The article was entitled “Lessons of a Failed War”. The original article is in Spanish, but Mr. Watson’s summary of it is interesting enough that I thought it should be a post of its own rather than a comment on a post.
Summary of “Lessons of a Failed War”
The Russians agreed that the US/NATO forces are repeating Soviet mistakes and committing new ones of their own. They believe that the US/NATO forces are condemned to failure and departure with little change effected in Afghanistan. According to the Russians, success can occur only by working with the local populations and changing the Afghans’ thinking and improving their economic situation.
They note that their Afghan friends tell them that the US/NATO troops do not communicate with the people and have few friends. They state that in the 80′s the Russians built schools, housing, roads, and invested heavily in the infrastructure of Afghanistan. In the towns, the Russians could move about and go to the local markets without fear because they had built relationships with the local people. But they did not and could not control the countryside. In contrast, according to the Russians, US/NATO troops can not move safely even within the towns.
They suggest that the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979 due its instability and their fear that the US would move into Afghanistan to place forces on its 3000 mile border with the USSR. They acknowledge that the Soviets and the West together caused terrorism to bud in Afghanistan and now are unable to put the genie back into the bottle.
Interestingly, they suggest that if the Americans were not now in Afghanistan, the Russians might be, once again. They fear the Taliban infecting the Arab world and central Asia with religious fundamentalism that would threaten the entire West.
[Read original article (in Spanish)]
Craig Watson’s Comment on US War in Afghanistan
I increasingly believe that we remain in Afghanistan in force mainly to have sufficient troops in close proximity and immediately available should the Pakistani government fail and its nuclear weapons be at risk. (And to exert extra pressure on a surrounded Iran.) Obama is too smart to believe that we can change Afghanistan and give it a stable democratic government within a few years.
Also, the US/West corporate interests want a pipe line from central Asia, where there are HUGE reserves of oil, through Afghanistan, down to ports in Pakistan. Another reason Pakistan stays aligned with the US, and another bone of contention with India.
Relevant Previous Peace Pundit Posts
- Ten Reasons a Troop Surge in Afghanistan is a Mistake
- Senator Boxer Opposes Afghanistan Troop Surge
- Petition to Obama: Rethink Afghanistan
- George Will: Get Out of Afghanistan
