[Peace-discuss] AfPak: get out

[C. G. Estabrook]

["Petraeus: Afghan and Pakistani Problems are One and the Same"; "Bacevich:
United States Should Leave Afghanistan."  Both are correct, but not for the
reasons they suggest.  --CGE]
   	
	Petraeus: Afghan and Pakistani Problems Are One In The Same

United States Army General David Petraeus had spoken out in regards to the
fighting in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said that they are both one problem put
together.

So far, there is fighting in Afghanistan and Pakistan in regards to fighting the
Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and other Islamic insurgents. Pakistan is having an extremely
difficult time fighting against the Taliban on its side of the border. It is
believed that the Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden is hiding out in the
northwestern mountains of Pakistan.

On top of that, Pakistan’s military and police force are overwhelmed in that
area. It makes things worse as Pakistan shifted its military troops towards the
Indian border. Many Pakistani police officers have resigned from the force out
of fear of being kidnapped and executed by the Taliban. The leader of the
Taliban in Pakistan was also blamed for the death of then Pakistan People’s
Party leader and former Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto was assassinated on
December 27, 2007.

With Pakistan shifting its troops, it makes things harder for US and coalition
troops who are fighting on the Afghan side of the border. Today, a recent study
from the United States Institute of Peace said that US goals in Afghanistan were
short-term and unrealistic. The study was released at a conference. It is said
that US Army General David Petraeus attended the conference.

Petraeus said that in order to win in Afghanistan, the following things need to
be recognized: the relationship with Pakistan, the neighborhoods of Afghanistan,
and Afghanistan’s financial limitations.

“There has been nothing easy about Afghanistan, indeed nearly every aspect has
been hard and that will continue to be the case in 2009 and the years beyond,”
Petraeus said in addressing the US Institute of Peace.

Petraeus said that the problems of Afghanistan and Pakistan have merged into one
single problem. However, this problem can be merged with tensions between
Pakistan and India. That is due to the brutal Mumbai Massacre that took place in
late-November of 2008.

	Expert Says Canada, United States
	Should Leave Afghanistan	
	by Bob Ewing.

A retired American colonel and prominent academic is calling for the United
States and its allies including Canada to begin withdrawing from Afghanistan.

Andrew Bacevich is a foreign affairs specialist at Boston University and a
retired American colonel. Bacevich is calling for U.S. president-elect Barack
Obama to reconsider his plans to expand his country's military mission in
Afghanistan.

Bachevic believes It is time for the U.S. and allies, like Canada, should start
to withdraw from the war-torn country because it "simply does not make sense" to
stay.

He appeared on CTV's Question Period Sunday, where he said the original
objective of the mission was to make sure the region does not become a breeding
ground for Al Qaeda terrorists, who could then have a safe haven to launch
attacks on the West. [NONSENSE, OF COURSE.]

"Our interests there are very limited. As long as Afghanistan is not a sanctuary
for terrorists that have the aim and capability to attack us in the West, we
don't really care that much about what happens in that country," he said.

"We don't have to create a modern, coherent, Afghan nation-state in order to
achieve those limited interests. The great defect, I think, of Western policy
over the last few years is to assume that we have to create a modern Afghan
nation state where none has ever existed."

Obama wants to refocus America's military attention on Afghanistan as the U.S.
plans to reduce its military presence in Iraq and has suggested that as many as
30,000 more U.S. troops could head to Afghanistan within the year.

The current economic crisis and the reality the U.S. is projecting a deficit
topping $1 trillion, together. mean remaining in Afghanistan makes no sense.
Terrorism can be fought in other ways.

"We're in the midst of the worst economic downturn in this country (the U.S.)
since the Great Depression, and that economic downturn is affecting Canada (and
it) will continue to affect Canada," he said. "The truth is that we don't have
the money to sustain misguided foreign policy initiatives."

Bacevich said "I would go back and emphasize that Canadian power and, I think,
Canadian political will is limited. But it's time for those of us on this side
of the border to recognize that American power and American will is also limited."

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