Americans deserve answers about path forward in worsening Afghanistan
10/3/09 | 7 comments
susan collins

Americans deserve answers about path forward in worsening Afghanistan


Susan Collins

In August, a Marine from New Portland and a soldier from Oakland lost their lives in combat in Afghanistan. Their deaths underscore the reality of an Afghanistan that has become increasingly dangerous and difficult due to a resurgence of the Taliban, pervasive corruption and an ineffective government. In the coming weeks, the president must decide whether to send more American troops beyond the additional troops he ordered deployed earlier this year, bringing the current total to about 68,000.

To be sure, the report of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, is alarming. He describes the situation in Afghanistan as serious and deteriorating and warns that the mission will end in failure unless a counterinsurgency strategy, which requires an extensive number of troops, is fully imple-mented. This is the same assessment I received from the general when I met with him in Afghanistan in August. I have enormous respect for Gen. McChrystal and want him to come before the Armed Services Committee to present his proposed strategy and to respond to questions.

The decision facing the president and Congress is not an easy one. The questions are complex: Would the deployment of more American troops achieve the goal of a stable and secure Afghanistan? Or notwithstanding the tremendous skill and courage of our troops and military leaders, do obstacles such as Afghanistan’s historic resistance to foreign powers, the narco-trafficking and the rampant corruption make this goal unachievable? Can a counterinsurgency strategy work in a country where there is a shadow over the legitimacy of the government due to electoral fraud? What will be the impact on Pakistan? And, as Gen. David Petraeus famously asked about Iraq, “How does this end?”

Some military experts predict that even a troop level of 110,000 Americans supplemented by NATO forces will be insufficient to protect the Afghan population, a central tenet of a counterinsurgency strategy. One expert told me last week that this strategy would require our troops to be engaged in combat operations for the next three to five years with a residual troop presence for many years after that. This would be an enormous investment, both in lives and in taxpayers’ money.

Other experts contend that we have no choice: If we do not secure Afghanistan, the Taliban will once again control the country and provide a safe haven for al-Qaida to plan its attacks against the West. They fear that Pakistan will be destabilized, putting its nuclear weapons at risk of falling into the hands of terrorists, a night-mare scenario.

President Barack Obama is weighing the alternatives. He must decide on a strategy and goals for Afghanistan and the region and make the case to the American people. Because Congress will be asked to oversee and fund the war, it is critical that we ask the tough questions.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have traveled to Afghanistan four times since 2001. Each time, I have discussed our operations not only with American and Afghan leaders, but also with the brave men and women on the front lines who are carrying out this mission every day. I also have joined my col-leagues on both sides of the aisle in questioning our leaders about our operations in Afghanistan as well as Iraq in countless oversight hearings. We questioned the strategy and pressed for benchmarks to assess progress. We brought up the strain that repeated deployments have imposed on our troops and their families. We pressed for more accurate intelligence assessments and better equipment to protect our troops. We raised the issues of diplomacy, nation building and the role of our NATO allies.

The situation in Afghanistan has not been static during the past eight years; in the last year, it has changed and worsened considerably as Gen. McChrystal has emphasized. My most recent journey to Afghanistan did convince me of one required step: Whether or not we need a surge of American troops, we certainly need a surge of Afghan troops. When I was in Helmand province, where the Taliban controls much of the territory, I learned that there are 10,000 American troops in the region, but only about 800 Afghan troops. This is unacceptable.

The American people deserve answers to significant questions about the way forward in Afghanistan. That is why it is critical that the president make his decision and that Gen. McChrystal testify soon before Congress to present his strategy and explain his recommendations. A careful judgment is required in recognition of the thousands of American men and women who are putting their lives on the line every day.

Susan Collins is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

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Comments
7 comments on this item
On 10/2/09 at 8:33 PM, PabMainer wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Ms. Collins was told personally in August about the need for more troops by the top military man in Afghanistan....today Gen. McChrystal flew to Copenhagen for a 25 minute meeting with the President and face to face asked for more military help in Afghanistan....a "critical decision" is needed by the President you say Ms. Collins...sounds like the campaign add about the 3 am phone call dosen't it?....time to step up and finally be the President. For the American troops risking their lives sake that is....

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On 10/2/09 at 9:31 PM, ElectraGlide wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

It is time to unlease the dogs. The American Soldier knows what I`m talking about but I`m sure that statement will upset alot of isolationist. How many soldiers do you think might die if this continues as is. How many citizens of the Middle East are going to die if we keep operating like we are for years. What are you afraid of? These wars are not dictated by us, we are being dragged around by the nose by tyrants and it is time to let the military go in and do its job. When they say they want troops send them. When they say we need ot go do whatever let them. Do you think that for one minute that Polticians sitting in Washington or for that matter citizens sitting at home watching the football game can run a war better then our Generals. Come on wake up. If we need to go to a draft do it. The world is scared to death of what America might not do. What is that you ask, help save the world as we have done in WW 1 & 2, Korea, Vietman, and now yes again the tyrants of the world don`t think we have the resolve to do it again. Why are we already in the Middle East, because leaders that knew this was coming (thank God) have us positioned well. People that think this country is to blame for having to use our Military, well I can`t politely say what I think about them. But you isolationist embolden these tyrants and the American Soldier really can never completely forgive you when they have lost so many brothers because of you. I am proud of Israel for talkin the talk and walkin the walk. You might say when you have been slaughtered by the millions that you have learned not to embolden your enemies. There has been so much talk in the press about how stressed out our military is (emboldment) There has been so much talk in the press that we don`t know how to respond as a Country (emboldenment). If this country doesn`t wake up it is going to cost us 10X`s or a 100X`s more military and civilian casulties in the future. Israel is demanding that we wake up. The United States of American needs to wake up the rest of the World and demand that they help us out anyway they can or keep there dang mouths shut and get out of the way. Is it a possible big mess, yes it is and when you don`t take care of the trash it keeps piling up.

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On 10/3/09 at 7:33 AM, Ladyslipper wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Protecting the Afghan people is the problem; it is crippling our troops from getting the job done. Commiting more troops to be nothing more than "peace keepers" for a President (who has stated that winning the war is not his primary objective), is a suicide mission.I say, unleash our troops to do what they are trained to do and get the job done swiftly.

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On 10/3/09 at 11:46 AM, David889327 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Solve the Israel-Palestine conflict and I suspect most of this other conflict will go away.

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On 10/3/09 at 12:55 PM, ElectraGlide wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

They, the rest of the Muslim World will not be happy until Israel and all its citizens are wiped off the face of the earth. Then it will be time to go after all the other unbelievers. Believer Me and Believe History.

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On 10/3/09 at 4:31 PM, David889327 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Well, they're not going to be able to eliminate Israel, I doubt. How many stupid Jews have you met? Which ethnic group played the major role in creating the nuclear weapon? I'm afraid there's going to be a lot of stupid, dead Muslims around if they try something foolish. Then, I guess, there's the question of the aftermath - who gets the oil - America, China, Russia, or the Canary Islands? Stay tuned as we watch this unfold on our TVs and likely in our lifetimes.

(The answers to the above questions are: very few, <5; the Jews; not sure.)

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On 10/5/09 at 7:24 PM, blueskiesaboveme wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

How about we let the Afghans and Iraqi's decide if Americans stay or go.

Lets bring it to a vote.

Let them vote on whither they want us to stay and build up our troops there,

Or leave and draw down our troops.

Natives people's choice. And it takes the responsibility off the United States on deciding whither we stay or go.

This whole scenario that our country finds itself in, reminds me of that Clash song,

"Should I stay or should I go now?

Should I stay or should I go now?

If I stay there will be trouble,

But if I go there will be double.

So come on and let me know

Should I stay or should I go?"

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