Afghanistan Weekly Reader: High Costs, Uncertain Progress
Speaking to the troops in Afghanistan this week, Defense Secretary Gates was optimistic about our chances of success. “We’re moving in the right direction and we’re winning this very tough conflict,” Sec. Gates said.
In fact, whether we’re winning in Afghanistan is very much open to debate. The UN has reported that violence in Afghanistan increased significantly over the past ten years. Just last week an unprecedented sectarian attack left 84 dead. Afghanistan’s economy is also struggling – it relies heavily on foreign aid and will continue to do so for quite some time.
We have invested a lot in this war, all for dubious success. It’s time to stop insisting we can win, and start asking how much more we can afford to pay.
FROM ASG
12-9-11
The Black Hole of Afghanistan Infrastructure Projects
Afghanistan Study Group by Mary Kaszynski
Two foreign invasions for a total of three decades of war have largely taken their toll on Afghanistan infrastructure – there isn’t much left. And what remains is only partially usable. Building Afghanistan’s infrastructure has been a centerpiece of US efforts, for both security reasons and to encourage economic development. However, what was there before the U.S. stepped in?
12-13-11
Weighing (War) Costs Versus Benefits
Afghanistan Study Group by Mary Kaszynski
Assessing our chances of meaningful success in Afghanistan isn’t just about the benefits of the war – it’s about how much it will cost to achieve them.
ARTICLES
12-7-11
OMB asks Defense to shift programs out of war bill
Financial Times by Kate Brannen
The White House is placing new limits on war spending, making it more difficult for the Pentagon to outmaneuver its new budget caps, according to recent guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Instead, the White House wants the Pentagon to start funding more activities through its base budget, shutting off a potential loophole to the Budget Control Act passed in August.
12-10-11
Coming Home
McClatchy by Chris Adams
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may be winding down, but the long-term costs of caring for those wounded in battle is on path to rival the costs of the Vietnam War.
U.S. Troops Could Stay in Afghanistan Past Deadline, Envoy Says
New York Times by Rod Nordland
The American ambassador to Afghanistan on Saturday raised the possibility that United States combat troops could stay in the country beyond the 2014 deadline that the White House had set for their withdrawal.
OPINION
Our Remote Wars Are Hitting Home
Mother Jones by William Astore
America’s wars may be fought in distant countries, but they’ve weakened our military, drained our treasury, and eroded our freedoms.
