On Tuesday evening, US President Barack Obama will finally announce his decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan. After months of deliberation, the president is expected to announce an escalation of US presence across the Durand Line by more than 30,000 troops. This represents a 50 per cent increase over the 68,000 troops already fighting in Afghanistan.
Speaking at the US Military Academy at West Point, Obama will emphasise that the goal of the troop surge is to stabilise Afghanistan and help build and train the country’s military and police forces.
In the US, and especially within the Democratic party, there are many critics of Obama’s decision. They say that the war has become too costly – it costs US$ 1 million, per soldier, per year – that military casualties are increasing, and that Afghan President Hamid Karzai is too marred by accusations of corruption to prove a viable ally against the Taliban.
A recent poll by USA Today/Gallup shows that 57 per cent of Democrats favour beginning a withdrawal from Afghanistan, while 72 per cent of Republicans back the troop increase.
What do you think of Obama’s decision to send more troops to Afghanistan? Do you think a bolstered US presence will help win the war against terrorism? How will this decision impact the political and security situation in Pakistan?
The following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
@Adee
Pakistan is in state of war at this moment. Pakistanis are being blown up in mosques when they are in prayers. This is not the time to bash Pakistani political leaders. It is time to be united and wipe out enemies of Pakistan within Pakistan. When the war is over then there will be all the opportunities to do house cleaning of Pakistan, Insha Allah.
It is natural as many people say that President Obama has chalked out his policy towards Afghanistan to further American interests in the first place. We must try our best to find ways and means which could enable us to successfully combat and eliminate the militants as soon as it could be.
It is necessary in this regard that all political parties and other stake holders should join their forces and converge all their energies to bring the country out of this quagmire, the task becomes very hard and complicated without such unity and consensus.
Are we prepared so to do in real sense of the word and to the maximum of our potential; I am sorry to remark it is not so. Almost all political parties are split as ever as if they are unaware of the situation or have intentionally adopted a pathetic attitude.
We salute Army and Intelligence Agencies of Pakistan. Enemies of Pakistan better watch their backs, wherever they are!
Pakistan in on a downward spiral towards destruction and no one seems to care.
We should immediately stop giving assistance to US and NATO against our own brotheren in Afghanistan. In fact, what we are facing now is the curse for what we did after 9/11. How many Afghans were involved in 9/11 attacks? Not a single one! Al-Qaeda drama is nothing but the barbarians like WDMs in Iraq. All of those are liars and killers of innocent people in our countries. We can never have peace in our region till these bloody crusaders, the spreaders of the dirty culture are present in Afghanistan.
President Obama is half brother to Bush. Bush was invader of Muslims in Afghanistan and so is Obama. It’s quite natural for him to continue the same policy as Bush did. Viable or not only future shall show when the disgraced Americans along with their NATO allies shall run away from Afghanistan just like the Russians did.
Unfortunately this looks like the future of Pakistan. The country has lost a whole generation of liberals and has been brain washed by fundamentalists.
We salute Army and Intelligence Agencies of Pakistan. Enemies of Pakistan better watch their backs, wherever they are!
@ Mustafa
My dear I really feel sorry for the people having mind like this. as you said “Leave everything on Mr. Zardari and Mr. Gillani.” because this is not fair and each and every Pakistani has a right to say what he feels.
Dear if you see the history of many nations including Pakistan, you can imagine that the ruler of the nation can destroy everything if he/she don’t have any fear from the Nation.
And if we further analyze this point, we can conclude that ruler can sell his own country if he/she gets a reasonable amount from somewhere.
Coming to the topic, Yes I do agree with the most comments commented by my brothers and sisters. US have to change the policy keeping in mind the History of this area. One has to accept that, in positive sense or negative, Afghanis are the most brave persons in the world. So they can do what US can not even imagine.
After the dust settles (5-10 years) Pakistan will emerge with a truer vision that it has lived with since 1947. The importance of democratic constitution (which every elected or dictatorial leader has ruined) will become clearer to Pakistan. The policy will become people centric and not “bleed thy neighbor” and “strategic depth” centric. Army and ISI will report to civilian elected government like any civilized nation would and would truly serve people’s pragmatic needs and not “ideological strategic depths”.
Then, I think nothing can stop Pakistan from growing like Taiwan.
So help Obama correct the course paved by ISI and the military.
The reason of deadline is that the afghan government and NATO allies are demanding the clear exit strategy for Afghanistan. The purpose is that to give the Afghans and world that America is going to remain there not for long time. The Afghans should stand for their country. The important part of strategy is how Afghans done their part. Now we pray that this makes better Afghanistan.
“After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home.”
Does he think Afghanistan is Grenada?
The Religious Right in Pakistan which had gone quiet after the Pakistani Taliban disgraced themselves by committing atrocities, and then running away from the battlefield when Pakistan Army came after them, has now been RE-ENERGIZED by US desire to leave the region.
The with drawl of USA means Afghanistan will again descend into a hell with muscular factions controlling parts of the country and providing refuge to terrorist and fugitive who can pay rent. Bad situation for Pakistan.
Obama strategy will not work!
A large number of elements support and help Taliban. These elements will sabotage any attempts by any country (ies) to defeat Taliban.
You guys are wasting time here. Wake up. No one is going to listen to you.
President Obama has submitted to the will of powerful defence establishment of USA. The surge of troops is not likely to work as violence cannot be countered by more violence. The US President should have learnt from the disastrous surge of former USSR in Afghanistan. That ultimately sealed the fate of a super power. The solution to Afghan problem does not lie in increasing the foreign troops. The best and only solution is to reduce the imprint of foreign troops, involve the all stake holders and construct an international force of Islamic countries under OIC and UN. In the mean time an interim set up be established from within the Afghan people to run the country. The money spent on foreign troops may be spent on the welfare of Afghan masses so that they see some prospect of peace and security in their war torn country. If that hope is provided Afghans themselves will eliminate AL-Qaida and Taliban. But Alas! Americans will only learn this after shedding lot of blood of their own and others.
I 100% agree with comments by MR Khan in his blog below.
Pakistani Nation definitely needs to be wake up soon and realize the biggest real challenge facing the nation & that challenge is not just Terrorism but the grand plot by other countries to disintegrate Pakistan and get rid of its Nuclear weapons.
Any one who calls this a conspiracy theory is naive and lacks common sense.
This strategy will not work. As we know that it is being revealed on Obama that Taliban’s are going to take control of Pakistani nuclear programs or Taliban themself told to Obama about their next plan or it is self generated statement. If Obama wants to increase troops between Pakistan and Afghanistan this means they are wasting their resources. They cannot save Pakistani resources if they are not planning to destroy it.
Soviet blunder being repeated again. Obama and his advisors fail to look at history.
@ HAIDER JAWAID
My comments on your response:
You said: “Obama is nothing but an extension of Bush.”
I say to you, you know nothing even about people who live around you, much less about President Bush or President Obama.
You said: “They use Pakistani land to transport supplies into Afghanistan and yet they consult India when chalking out afghan strategy.”
I say to you, this is not your problem. Leave this to Mr. Zardari and Mr. Gilani and they know the matter far better than you. Do not make a fool of yourself by questioning the wisdom and judgment of duly elected political leaders of Pakistan.
Dear Haider, there are many people in Pakistan who come to wrong conclusions in anger and without using their brain. I do not blame you but things will change when Pakistanis will realize they cannot live peacefully in Pakistan unless peace is achieved in countries bordering with Pakistan. Pakistani leaders are well aware about it but many people like you will find it difficult to understand.
No hard feelings. Allah Hafiz.
From time immemorial, foreigners tried to over rule this Asian region, but alas! Only recent past during early nineties one super power was defeated after prolonged war. Not only that the USSR no longer exist on world map after retreat from Afghanistan. Now the lone remaining super power is awaiting the same fate. To be super powers (India and China) may take lessons from history. Time will tell the truth very shortly.
Leadership, cause and territory is required to win a war. The United states has territory not the cause and leadership in Afghanistan. Simply, they need to accept reality, and reality is ‘Afghnas’, let them decide and support them to fight with their enemies.
The U.S is declining economically, so Obama Administration should not send more troops, his approach must be different than the previous president. War can never bring peace the World must know it.
Today’s question? What will happen with addition of 30000 troops, more war, more causalities, and more death and so on. Is it policy of OBAMA, what was the policy of BUSH? Dialogue, give, and take, the right way, if you want to make the world peaceful. How it is possible, you hit someone and nobody hit you.
Make the planet peaceful, make friends, live together otherwise nothing will left for anyone.
PAKISTAN be cautious, the past of US relationship is not good. Whatever the needs of the country do it. Don’t do more, make safe the country, we have to live in the region, make friends for the bad days. US will not live and never will be helpful unless its interest. We are the only on the earth who can make safe our land. There are enemies all around so make awareness and do more for the country. LONE LIVE PAKISTAN, PAKISTAN FIRST
The only part of President Obama’s speech I support is the deadline of 2011 to extricate ourselves from the dark caves of Afghanistan — Kerzai or no Kerzai.
Only 19 months to go — as Faiz would count — “chand roze aur meri jaan faqat chand hee roze”
May be Afghanistan and Pakistan deserves their Taliban’s — and the Taliban’s deserve the two as their breeding haven.
Who knows –may be Afghanistan and Pakistan will be happier under the Taliban’s — since none of the two countries is right now happy with the United States — trying to make a difference in their lives by squandering my tax dollars on the troops.
I think troop surge in Afghanistan will shift battle ground from Afghanistan to Pakistan border area into core of Pakistan. If Pakistan army does not (I hope Army succeeds) destroy Taliban from entering Pakistan, then there will be more bombings and Pakistan will have civil wars. Which might result in disintegration of Pakistan.
Iran and India will make sure that their borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan are completely sealed. I think this operation will worsen the situation of Indian subcontinent (including Iran). Unless Pakistani Army starts a ruthless operation on Taliban.