More evidence, as if we needed it, of the lack of integrity of this administration…..
New Afghan War Plan Concedes the Surge Fell Short
Spencer Ackerman
WIRED, 1 November 2011
As the Obama administration winds down its troop surge in Afghanistan, it’s adopted a new political strategy for ending the war. And that new strategy represents a tacit concession that the best the surge could accomplish was rescuing Afghanistan from from the brink of total failure.
What was the surge for, anyway? In one sense, as explained by President Obama, it was merely designed to stop the Afghanistan war from deteriorating. But Obama’s generals promised that it would do more — that it would whup the Taliban into suing for peace. And in the broadest sense of all, it would contribute to the Obama team’s ultimate objective for the region: to “disrupt, dismantle and defeat” al-Qaida.
Judged in the narrowest sense, then, the surge worked. Afghanistan is no longer spiraling into greater violence. But it’s failed to accomplish anything beyond that.
Read longer than usual, very pointed analysis of lies, delusions, and failure.
Phi Beta Iota: We've learned to expect a complete lack of integrity in our political, operational, and intelligence leaders. This is so “deja vu” of Viet-Nam. There is no accountability for failure in the US Government.
See Also:
Chuck Spinney: Time Favors the Taliban
Afghanistan Ground Truth: Deja Vu & Nested RECAP
Bob Gates: Flat Out Liar or Just Feeble? + RECAP
US Intelligence Lies to “Defer” to General Petraeus
Journal: Taliban Ramps Up North, Holds South + RECAP
Journal: Putin to Obama–Stay in Afghanistan + RECAP
Chuck Spinney: Bin Laden, Perpetual War, Total Cost + Perpetual War RECAP
Marcus Aurelius: US at Permanent “War” + War RECAP
1961-2011: 50 Years of The Military-Industrial Complex
David Isenberg: Jim Clapper Claims Transformation — Robert Steele Comments on Each Misrepresentation
Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Intelligence (Most)
