U.S. Marines take cover in a wadi from a controlled detonation during an operation in the abandoned village of Now Zad in Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 3, 2009. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete ThibodeauFrom Seoul Times:
The United States is clearly worried by the crisis in Afghanistan and now a new policy is being viewed in order to tackle the growing insurgency. Therefore, the Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated that Plan Colombia may be a new approach to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. However, would Plan Colombia change the current situation in Afghanistan and how successful is Plan Colombia anyway?
Before focusing on this new approach which is being touted in important circles in Washington, it is vital to state the major differences between Colombia and Afghanistan. After all, do both nations share the same common problems and history?
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My Comment: Interesting article. A new AfghanPak strategy will need to be applied, limitations of soldiers and the vast terrain will scream for a policy that will cover these deficiencies as well as satisfying the conditions that are now being imposed from Washington and it allies.
But unfortunately, I do not think this is going to happen. From my perspective, the AfghanPak War has more resemblance to the mess of the Vietnam War than the counter insurgency campaign in Colombia. And like Vietnam, we are probably going to end up with the same result a few years down the road .... if not sooner.