This year has been the bloodiest year for foreign troops so far of the nine-year old war in Afghanistan, with the US taking the brunt of the casualties with some 700 NATO troops at least 475 of them Americans that were killed in fierce battles with the Taliban aimed at clearing and holding areas under insurgent control. The nine-year war in Afghanistan has raised many questions.
The US media has varied its questions from Where things stand? in 2001 to Why are we even there? and lately to Can we win? The variation in questions is attention-grabbing and tells us where US actually stands after nine years of war in Afghanistan. The people of the US do not sound content with Washingtons strategies and have lost their interest in the war.
According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Centre has said that only a quarter of Americans follow news about Afghanistan and Tony Maddox, who oversees international coverage for CNN has lately said that inside the United States, youve got audiences that are beginning to suffer from war fatigue.
Due to the bloodiest casualties and ridiculous situation in Afghanistan, most European allies will begin withdrawing their troops within two years. As a result “the US administration is going to face a problem the Taliban are stronger, the Europeans are leaving, so just to contain the Taliban, the US military is going to have to ask for more troops in 2011 and 2012.
It can be said now that the question is not about winning the war, its not even something that could be construed as a withdrawal with conditions, but it seems much more about escalation of the war.
MAIMUNA ASHRAF
Islamabad