U.S. employs effective new strategy in Afghanistan
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So much for winning hearts and minds in Afghanistan: The tactic that’s working best for the US is the targeted assassination of insurgent leaders, reports the New York Times, rather than winning allegiance for providing stable government. Some 130 Taliban leaders have been taken out in the last five months, and while that’s not likely enough to topple the insurgency, low-level commanders are reluctant to rise through the ranks and become a target.
The tactic is also giving the US leverage over the Taliban, officials say, and may ultimately help bring them to the table and broker a peace deal. Simultaneously, the US has begun a $300 million campaign to recruit low- and mid-level insurgents away from the Taliban. “We’re not ready to make the qualitative judgment that the cumulative effects of what we are doing are enough to change their calculus yet,” says a White House official. But, “If I were the Taliban, I’d be worried.”
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“I’m just a middle-aged, middle-eastern camel herdin’ man
I got a little, 2 bedroom cave here in North Afghanistan
Things used to be real nice and they got out of hand when they moved in
They call themselves the Taliban
(ooooo yeah the taliban) (taliban baby)
Now I ain’t seen my wife’s face since they came here
They make her wear a scarf over her head that covers her from ear to ear
She loves the desert and the hot white sand
But man she’s just like me, nah she can’t stand
The Taliban (ooo taliban baby)
You know someday soon we’re both gonna saddle up and it’ll be
Ride Camel Ride
My old lady she’ll be here with me, smilin right by my side
We should do just fine out around Palestine or maybe Turkmenistan
We’ll bid a fair adieu and flip the finger to the Taliban
(oh yeah the taliban) (baby)
I know where you comin from brother!
This is a patriotic love song
So y’all feel free to salute if you want,
You got my permission.
Now they attacked New York City cause they thought they could win
Said they would, stand and fight until the very bloody end
Mr Bush got on the phone with Iraq and Iran and said “Now, you
sons-of-bitches you better not be doin any business with the taliban”
(Taliban baby)
So we prayed to Allah with all of our might
Until those big U.S. jets came flyin one night
They dropped little bombs all over their holy land
And man you should have seen em run like rabbits, they ran
(the taliban)
You know someday soon we’re both gonna saddle up and it’ll be
Ride Camel Ride
My old lady she’ll be here with me, smilin right by my side
We should do real fine out around Palestine or maybe Turkmenistan
We’ll bid a fair adieu and flip a couple fingers to the Taliban
(oh yeah, taliban)
we’ll bid a fair adieu and flip a big boner to The Taliban (baby)”
Is this following along the same path as Operation Phoenix in the Vietnam war? Except instead of using hit squads we are using hit squads and drones?
I’m not sure this is as much of a “new” strategy as it is one that is becoming more “fashionable.”