Afghanistan Weekly Reader: Committees Come and Go; Is the Afghanistan War Forever?
For the past several weeks we’ve watched the supercommittee’s every move. We wondered, speculated, even placed bets on whether they would succeed in forging a debt reduction deal. And as soon as the supercommittee is dead, the questions started. Who isto blame for the failure? What could have been done differently?
With all the attention on the supercommittee, the war in Afghanistan was lost in the shuffle. During all the debates these past four months on how to rein in government spending, no one seemed to notice that we spent about $30 billion in Afghanistan. And here’s another number that’s been overlooked: in the last four months, over 150 US troops died in Afghanistan.
Theatrics like the supercommittee shouldn’t distract us from the real issue. The war in Afghanistan has been, and continues to be, too costly. Ending the war has to be a part of any serious plan for getting federal spending back on track.
ASG
11-21-11
Momentum For Ending The Afghanistan War
Afghanistan Study Group by Mary Kaszynski
Last week, we noted that most of the GOP presidential candidates don’t seem to be on the same page as the American public when it comes to the war in Afghanistan. This week, however, we have a more encouraging sign that some members of Congress are listening.
ARTICLES
11-17-11
Afghanistan war strategy shift portends troop drawdown
The Hill’s DEFCON by John Bennett
A senior military official says U.S. forces soon will begin winding down counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan, signaling a major shift in the decade-old conflict.
OPINION
11-20-11
Is Afghanistan more violent?
Politico by Michael O’Hanlon
Is Afghanistan more or less violent this year than in 2010?
This is a crucial question in assessing progress in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization campaign. Counterinsurgency operations often grow more violent when they intensify — since troops and insurgents come into more frequent contact — so it might not be surprising if 2011 were the most violent…In fact, key databases on the war differ fundamentally on this question.
