The War in Afghanistan began as retaliation against Al Qaida and the Taliban. Since late 2001 American troops have fought alongside its NATO allies and Afghan soldiers to defeat our enemies and build a functioning democracy in Afghanistan. The hope is to fill the power vacuum and ensure the Taliban will never regain power. However, today the Afghan government is still not functioning adequately. We have inflicted significant damage to both the Taliban and Al Qaida but have been unable to destroy them. In 2009 it became clear the war required a new strategy, more troops and greater efforts to build up the capability of the Afghan Government so it could provide its own security.

General McChrystal took command of American forces in Afghanistan in early 2009. His plan was to implement a counter-insurgency strategy similar to the one used in Iraq in 2007. The strategy involved large numbers of American troops living among the local population and working alongside local army and police units in order to improve their training and experience. It was also designed to build trust among the local population and thereby produce better cooperation and intelligence. Less than a year into the strategy, NATO and Afghan forces have made some progress in defeating the Taliban in the Helmand Province and areas near Kandahar City.

General McChrystal was in the midst of implementing his new strategy and beginning operations when the Rolling Stone article surfaced last week. His criticisms in the Rolling Stone article showed the military leadership lacks confidence in the U.S. civilian leadership tasked building up the Afghan government. McChrystal’s public criticism of the civilian leadership was inappropriate but there is little doubt the U.S. is struggling in Afghanistan. Although Gen. McChrystal performed well, his inappropriate comments required his removal from command.

President Obama selected General Petraeus to replace Gen. McChrystal in late June. Gen. Petraeus was the commanding general during the successful Iraq surge. However, a new general does not guarantee better results in Afghanistan. Unless the Obama administration makes clear its commitment to victory, Gen. Petraeus will struggle just as Gen. McChrystal did.

Under the current plan, the “surge” reinforcements will not be fully deployed until late 2010. This gives the U.S. military barely eight months to implement the strategy and turn the situation around before they begin withdrawing. The commanders on the ground as well as numerous military experts argue eight months is not enough time for the strategy to work.

If the U.S. and its allies withdraw, Afghanistan will quickly be engulfed in civil war and there is a good chance that the Taliban will emerge victorious. At that point they will be able to use Afghanistan as a base to launch terrorist attacks and also support Taliban forces operating in Pakistan. If successful, the Pakistani Taliban forces could gain power, giving them access to nuclear weapons.

The American people have become worn out from fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nine years of war have taken their toll. However, American forces have made tremendous progress recently. American forces are set to withdraw completely from Iraq by the end of 2012. With the withdrawal from Iraq the U.S. will be able to focus its efforts in Afghanistan. Anti-war pundits have argued the Afghan War is weighing down our economy and our military. However, funding for the Afghan War comprises only 2.6% of the overall budget. The war is indeed a strain on our military but the last ten years has shown the incredible resilience of our armed forces. If properly supported, they will accomplish their mission. In addition, the U.S. will be dramatically reducing its presence in Iraq and taking on a non-combat role. In the coming years the total troops deployed in both countries will drop from 185,000 troops currently to 100,000 troops in 2012.

The mission in Afghanistan can succeed if it is given sufficient time and support from President Obama and the American people. In Iraq the strategy took over a year to produce real results and several years before American forces could significantly reduce their presence. Setting an early withdrawal date signals to our allies and enemies that we are more interested in getting out than winning. President Obama must clearly state that the U.S. will withdraw when conditions on the ground allow it, not on a set day. The American people must also support the mission and realize that victory in Afghanistan is essential to our national security. Failure in Afghanistan will strengthen the Taliban and Al Qaida, allowing them to retake the country.

The Afghan War is winnable. Gen. Petraeus is a brilliant commander, and if given enough time, American forces will be able to train the Afghan Army and police forces to adequately defend themselves. The military mission must also be combined with better efforts on the political side. The Afghan government is still largely inept. They need adequate security and time to develop their capabilities just as the Iraqi government did. With more time and support from the U.S. and its allies, the Afghan government should also be able to gain more support from the people. Afghan people want the new democratic government to succeed but must trust that they will not be left out to dry. It may take time but American forces under Gen. Petraeus have shown that it can be done.

Author Bio: J. Wesley Fox is the Chairman of Restore America’s Legacy PAC. He is a recent graduate of DePaul University College of Law and has been active in local and national politics for several years. He currently lives in New Jersey after growing up in the Chicago suburbs. www.restoreamericaslegacy.com

Category: Politics
Keywords: Counterinsurgency, General McChrystal, General Petraeus, President Obama, Afghan War