Taliban have rejected the Annual Review of Afghanistan and Pakistan Strategy by saying that it is a failed strategy, not only on the military side but also in civilian and administrative affairs, public services in Afghanistan have failed.
Corruption, insecurity and also the civilian casualties are a result of failed American strategy. Moreover, they claimed that Obama’s aim of starting to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan next year is the result not of success, but of the pressure on the US forces in Afghanistan, the high casualties of the US forces and the high cost of the war…which they can no longer afford. Even the leadership of the Afghan Taliban issued a statement characterizing the alliance’s adoption of a loose timeline for a 2014 end to combat operations as “good news” for Afghans and “a sign of failure for the American government”.
Ground realities also tell the same story that US-allied military strategy in Afghanistan has failed because of the failure of their political strategy. The political strategy is not working, thats why the military strategy is not successful.
The Afghan government has failed to give equitable and balanced representation to Pashtuns who form the major Taliban militia. Even after nine year of war, nobody realises where the weaponry comes from for these terrorists. Allied forces are giving protection money to the war lords and Taliban. Poppy is being cultivated as usual and drug money is used to bribe the terrorists.
Despite increased Special Operations Forces raids and US-led air strikes, the insurgency in Afghanistan is spreading and growing stronger. As the late Richard Holbrooke, said: a military victory in Afghanistan is not possible.
Actually, its the US wrong strategies in Afghanistan that led them to failure though the US has said that their strategy was working and was on track. But it will be more likely that Obamas strategy in Afghanistan is on track and the track runs in a circle.
MAYRA MUFTI
Lahore
