Gen. Joseph “Fighting Joe” Dunford is still undecided on the size of the US occupation force that will be in Afghanistan in 2015. Though he says he expects to come to some sort of decision this summer, he insists no recommendations have yet been made.
Not that there is any doubt in Dunford’s mind that US troops with be there. Insisting “transitions, by definition, are very, very difficult times,” Dunford says Afghanistan remains a “monumental” operation, and one that’s going to continue for years to come.
Gen. Dunford went on to say that he isn’t spending much time worrying about the removal of equipment from Afghanistan, and that he is focused instead on instilling “confidence” in the Afghans. Since the US has a pact that could keep them in Afghanistan through 2024, removing gear might not be a high priority.
But Dunford’s role in tapping the size of the force in 2015 and seeing the US through the transition assumes he’ll be there at all. History isn’t on his side in that regard, as he is the fifth commander in just over four years of Obama Administration juggling of the war, and the 15th commander since the 2001 invasion.
It is difficult to imagine how invasion, occupation, massive civilian casualty rates through the deployment of drones, aerial bombardment, artillery and a collection of night-raiding infantry from numerous alien countries by alien forces can be expected to win hearts and minds in Afghanistan.
Many forget, Afghanistan played absolutely no role in 9-11. And while Osama bin Laden was a guest of the Taliban, he was placed under virtual house arrest by the Taliban so that he would not bring negative press to the Afghans. He was also available to American intelligence while hospitalized in Rawalpindi, Pakistan and enjoyed routine visits for the CIA Station Chief on a daily basis. The Taliban on numerous occassions offered to extradite Osama to the Bush Administration only to be ignored. They only asked for proof of his guilt which was never forthcoming.
The point of all this is that the US/NATO contingent has waged war under false and or unsupportable justifications that Taliban had a role in 9/11 or that Osama's Kandahar residency somehow justifies war. It is no wonder then that the Afghans would like for the US/NATO invasion team to go home!
Bruce G. Richardson