A Runoff Election Won't Make a Difference

On 20 October Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he would allow a runoff election to take place to assuage the concerns of the Obama Administration.

The problem that the administration has not yet realized is the fact that a runoff election will not make much difference. Whether Hamid Karzai or Dr. Abdullah Abdullah is in office the culture of corruption that reigns in Afghanistan will still be present. Troops on the ground are what is really needed.

One of the primary needs in a counterinsurgency strategy is to control the population. Different strategists have different force ratios, yet all agree one needs a sufficient amount of troops to provide security to the population. Unless a populace feels secure they will not likely provide the intelligence necessary to track down the insurgents/terrorists the US is seeking. Even Vice President Biden's counterterrorism strategy will not work without more troops. That's why it is so essential.

Even though having a legitimate government in power is important in counterinsurgency, it appears that regardless of who wins, the government will remain a weak one with the same entrenched corruption in its bureaucracy. That being said, the administration should focus on getting General McChrystal the resources he requires. This decision should not be postponed on these merits any longer. Considering in a country with such a history of corruption Karzai could still win, and the corruption could continue, it leaves the United States in an obvious bind.

The establishment of security is what is required. Once that can happen the other issues can be addressed in the proper fashion, as they should be so as to fully succeed in this strategy.

An American President Wins the Peace Prize

This morining it was announced that President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. This is absurd, so absurd even liberal supporters are surprised.
 
President Obama has been in office a little over 8 months, and has not accomplished anything that would warrant him being awarded such an honor. Could he accomplish something in the future? Of course he could. He could surge in Afghanistan and bring stability to the country for instance. That would be an accomplishment worth praising, but as of now he hasn't done anything to deserve it. So why give it to him?
 
This is clearly a political move. The committee obviously chose to bestow such an honor upon him because he is the opposite of George W. Bush. But wait, is he? Currently he is prosecuting two wars, Iraq and Afghanistan, and is considering sending additional troops to the latter. Hopefully he does. He is using UAVs en masse in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a tactic that kills more civilians. He is using rendition, which is far worse than anything that happened at Guatanamo Bay.
 
So what say you?

An Evolving Afghan Policy

It appears as if the Administration is split over how to proceed in Afghanistan, a split they cannot afford to have.

General Stanley McChrystal wants an additional 30,000-40,000 troops, something Admiral Michael Mullen and General David Petraeus support and Secretary Clinton and Richard Holbrooke are leaning toward. On the other hand Vice-President Biden and National Security Advisor Jones do not. Secretary Gates is on the fence.

This is a problem that needs to be amended quickly. President Obama, lacking in experience, is dependent on these advisers and when a split of such proportions exists, he is in trouble. Whereas he does in fact need to listen to his advisers he also must choose a side and stick to it, preferably in favor of sending more troops.

Afghanistan cannot be lost. If the US was to pullout it would be an enormous triumph for the forces of Islamic extremism, al-Qaeda would once again gain a foothold, and the return of the Taliban would likely destabilize Pakistan. If he decides against it, also his campaign rhetoric of committing to Afghanistan will appear to be all for nought.

He does have an important decision to make; go all in, in a counterinsurgency campaign that succeeded in Iraq, and is manpower intensive, continue strategic assaults with UAVs and Special Forces units, as Biden is recommending, or as many in his party and especially the left wing are saying, leave entirely. It is time for President Obama to sit down, listen to all sides in his Cabinet, and make a choice.