In recent weeks, many experts have made the case for minimizing the U.S. role in Afghanistan and falling back on a more modest strategy. This week’s WikiLeaks scandal exacerbated the situation, putting supporters of President Obama’s strategy on the defensive even though the leaked dispatches were unsurprising in content.
But it would not be sensible at this point to abandon the president’s Plan A: working to help forge a cohesive Afghan state strong enough to control its own territory and deprive terrorists of major sanctuaries on its soil.
There are many reasons to give Mr. Obama’s strategy—announced just eight months ago—another year or so before reaching a verdict.
For starters, the NATO military buildup is not even complete. Although the installment of troops announced in December has mostly arrived, up to 10,000 more NATO forces are still on their way, and most are heading for the strategic crucible of Kandahar. Until they have arrived, we can hardly know if the strategy, which emphasizes security in Kandahar, will succeed.
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Commentary
Op-edThe Afghan Surge Deserves a Chance to Work
Michael E. O’Hanlon
Michael E. O’Hanlon
Director of Research
- Foreign Policy,
Director
- Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology,
Co-Director
- Africa Security Initiative,
Senior Fellow
- Foreign Policy, Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology,
Philip H. Knight Chair in Defense and Strategy
@MichaelEOHanlon
July 31, 2010