More on the Surge in Afghanistan

While General McChrystal, the US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, sought 40,000 additional troops, Obama eventually settled on 30,000 after an intensive 3-month study of the mission and how best to achieve goals. According to the White House, most of the shortfall between what McChrystal sought and what Obama approved was expected to be made up from NATO allies and other countries that have sent forces to the conflict. The only problem here is that, except for Brittan and France, the troops sent do little but sit in their camps—they are not warriors and their country’s Rules Of Engagement prohibit doing anything unless they are attacked. They are military forces in name only—they add nothing to the accomplishment of the mission.br /It seems the idea is to mimic – to some extent – the Bush administration’s troop increase in Iraq that deflated the Sunni insurgency there by bringing many of the bad guys to our side. That worked, but it took troops and time. Stay tuned.