Today is the sixteenth anniversary of the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan. As Ghosts of Alexander reminds us the United States finds itself battling the radical sentiment it helped proliferate to fight the Soviets.
Pakistan's President Musharraf, addressing the 88th National Management Course, noted the growing extremism , which he fears "the spread of Talibansation beyond the Tribal Areas." The threat to the security of Afghanistan couldn't be more evident than the assassination attempt on President Karzai earlier today.
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All too often analysts, myself included, suggest the solution lies in convincing our allies to provide more troops. Recognizing the numerous difficulties Secretary Rice, Secretary Gates, and President Bush have encountered over this very issue leads one to conclude that solution is a pipe dream. Even if this delusion were to become reality, a significant stumbling block hampering the NATO effort stems from the lack of command control, according to the Christian Science Monitor. Such an assertion makes this blogger wonder why six years after the initial invasion there remain questions over authority. Without undisputed orders any "silver bullet" incorporating coalition support bears concern.
