Marjah

One Year After Escalation, Afghanistan War Still Faltering

Rep. Mike Honda | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Rep Mike Honda, Troops, Afghanistan, Cnn, War, Helmand, Obama, Rethink Afghanistan, Marjah, Congressional Progressive Caucus, World News
Rep. Mike Honda

We cannot afford an endless war in Afghanistan. We need a responsible end to the war so we can focus on getting our economy back on track. Let's bring our troops home -- because it's time.

Read Post

Memorials to Purposelessness

Matthew Hoh | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Operation Moshtarak, President Obama, Vietnam, Pakistan, General Petraeus, Marjah, Taliban, Afghanistan, Afghanistan Study Group, Al Qaeda, War in Afghanistan, Afghan War, West Point, World News
Matthew Hoh

On this anniversary of Operation Moshtarak and the "official" escalation of the Afghan War, we must continue to argue for a new course forward for the United States in Afghanistan.

Read Post

On Anniversary of Marjah Push, Escalation Strategy Still Failing

Derrick Crowe | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Cnn, Gates, Petraeus, Rethink Afghanistan, Mcchrystal, Escalation, Marjah, Afghanistan, Obama, Counterinsurgency, Robert Gates, War in Afghanistan, Helmand, Civilian Casualties, Taliban, Politics News
Derrick Crowe

Today is the one-year anniversary of the launch of the escalated military strategy in Afghanistan. It's clear from the last 12 months that the escalation strategy is a failure. It's time to come home.

Read Post

US General: Battle In Marjah Is Over

AP | ANNE FLAHERTY | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: General Richard Mills, Richard Mills, Marjah Battle Over, War in Afghanistan, Marjah Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Marjah Fighting Finished, Marjah, Marjah Offensive, General Richard Mills Marjah, Marjah Fighting Over, Afghanistan War, World News

WASHINGTON — A senior Marine general in Afghanistan on Tuesday declared the battle in the southern Taliban stronghold of Marjah "essentially ove...

Read Whole Story

Obama's War, One Year Later: 195 Million Say No to War

Robert Greenwald | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Troop Casualties, Kandahar, Petraeus, Economy, War, Obama, War Spending, Robert Greenwald, Unemployment, Rethink Afghanistan, Mcchrystal, Civilian Casualties, War Costs, Marjah, Afghanistan, Defense Spending, Counterinsurgency, World News
Robert Greenwald

Next month will mark the one-year anniversary of the launch of President Obama's escalated military campaign in Afghanistan. One year later, violence is still getting worse and costs are skyrocketing.

Read Post

Battle Tanks for Afghanistan: Will They Do Any Good?

Saad Khan | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Lisbon Summit, Afghanistan, Nato, Pakistan Taliban, Afghanistan Tanks, Helmand, Lashkar Gah, Taliban, Marjah, Obama Afghanistan, Obama, World News
Saad Khan

It is true that Americans are desperate to flush out the Taliban and their patience is running thin, however it is not a good idea to wipe out an entire village and further escalate the public backlash.

Read Post

The New York Times Hypes the Afghanistan War, Again

Derrick Crowe | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Kandahar, Pentagon, Rethink Afghanistan, Carlotta Gall, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, Marjah, New York Times, Afghanstan, Facebook, Media News
Derrick Crowe

The New York Times just published a story that could not include more Pentagon talking points if it were written by General David Petraeus himself.

Read Post

Marines In Marjah Face Full-Blown Insurgency

AP | TODD PITMAN | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Marjah, Afghanistan, Marjah Insurgency, Afpak, Afghanistan War, Taliban, Marjah Taliban, World News

MARJAH, Afghanistan — The young Marine had a simple question for the farmer with the white beard: Have you seen any Taliban today? The answer c...

Read Whole Story

Afghanistan: We're Here Because We're Here Because...

Doug Sarro | Posted 05.26.2011

Read More: Karzai, Insurgency, Taliban, War Logs, Nato, Petraeus, Civilian Casualties, Pakistan, Mcchrystal, Marjah, Obama, Afghanistan, Wikileaks, Counterinsurgency, World News
Doug Sarro

Even if we achieved the goal we are apparently trying to achieve in Afghanistan--victory over the Taliban--it wouldn't put an end to international terrorism&mdash. It likely wouldn't even put a dent in it.

Read Post

How Much Influence Does the U.S. Have in Afghanistan?

David Reidy | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Coin, Insurgency, Washington Post, Governance, Marjah, Afghanistan, World News
David Reidy

COIN doctrine cannot be implemented according to any book, and the notion that there is a "right" way to do COIN which guarantees success is a fallacy.

Read Post

Five Reasons to Withdraw From Afghanistan Sooner Rather Than Later

Doug Sarro | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Hamid Karzai, Insurgency, Kandahar, Nato, War on Terror, Mcchrystal, Pakistan, Eikenberry, Marjah, Militant, Taliban, Afghanistan, Obama, Karzai, Withdrawal, Ahmed Wali Karzai, World News
Doug Sarro

McChrystal's dirty laundry is the least of President Obama's problems. In the face of rapidly rising violence throughout the country, Obama needs to decide how quickly to withdraw U.S. troops from the country.

Read Post

Jason Linkins

Rolling Stone McChrystal Profile: Editor Surprised It Became 'Story Of The Day'

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: White House, Mcchrystal Rolling Stone Article, McChrystal Rolling Stone, President Obama, Nato, Rolling Stone Article Mcchrystal, Operation Marja, Afghan War, US Military, Rolling Stone Interview, Team America, Paris, Politics News, Vietnam, Richard Holbrooke, Slidepollajax, Marjah, Bleeding Ulcer, West Point, Hamid Karzai, Rolling Stone Mcchrystal Interview, Karl Eikenberry, Media News, Rolling Stone Mcchrystal, Mcchrystal Obama, Victory, Mcchrystal Rolling Stone Interview, Rolling Stone, Stanley McChrystal, Afghanistan, Hillary Clinton, Media Criticism, Eat the Press, Media News

I imagine that Rolling Stone now understands that the White House will respond very quickly the next time the commander in charge of our controversial war puts the entire operation in jeopardy over some ill-advised sass talk.

Read Whole Story

Jason Linkins

Rolling Stone McChrystal Profile: Mag Fails To Capitalize On Its Own Story

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: White House, Mcchrystal Rolling Stone Article, McChrystal Rolling Stone, President Obama, Nato, Rolling Stone Article Mcchrystal, Operation Marja, Afghan War, Media Criticism, US Military, Rolling Stone Interview, Team America, Paris, Politics News, Vietnam, Richard Holbrooke, Slidepollajax, Marjah, Bleeding Ulcer, West Point, Hamid Karzai, Rolling Stone Mcchrystal Interview, Karl Eikenberry, Rolling Stone Mcchrystal, Mcchrystal Obama, Victory, Mcchrystal Rolling Stone Interview, Rolling Stone, Stanley McChrystal, Afghanistan, Hillary Clinton, Eat the Press, Media News

Earlier this morning, Rolling Stone executive editor Eric Bates took note of the dismissal of the civilian press aide who set up the interview between...

Read Whole Story

Jason Linkins

Stanley McChrystal Under Fire: What Does It Mean For Counterinsurgency Strategy?

HuffingtonPost.com | Jason Linkins | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: White House, Mcchrystal Rolling Stone Article, McChrystal Rolling Stone, President Obama, Nato, Rolling Stone Article Mcchrystal, Operation Marja, Afghan War, US Military, Rolling Stone Interview, Team America, Paris, Politics News, Vietnam, Richard Holbrooke, Slidepollajax, Marjah, Bleeding Ulcer, West Point, Hamid Karzai, Rolling Stone Mcchrystal Interview, Karl Eikenberry, Rolling Stone Mcchrystal, Mcchrystal Obama, Victory, Mcchrystal Rolling Stone Interview, Rolling Stone, Stanley McChrystal, Afghanistan, Hillary Clinton, Eat the Press, Media News

Is it possible to even contemplate McChrystal being removed from his command? My instincts tell me that we're about to endure a fancy bit of White House shame-pageantry: McChrystal comes hat in hand, he and the President have a heart-to-heart, and in the end, everyone gets back to work. That's how I see it playing out if only because McChrystal has essentially become the living avatar of counterinsurgency strategy itself.

Read Whole Story

McChrystal's Rolling Stone Interview: Quotes, Comments About Obama And Colleagues (SLIDESHOW)

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Hamid Karzai, US Military, Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, President Obama, Marjah, Team America, Paris, Karl Eikenberry, Victory, Rolling Stone Interview, Rolling Stone, Stanley McChrystal, Vietnam, Hillary Clinton, Slidepollajax, West Point, McChrystal Rolling Stone, Mcchrystal Obama, Mcchrystal Rolling Stone Interview, Mcchrystal Rolling Stone Article, Rolling Stone Mcchrystal Interview, Rolling Stone Article Mcchrystal, Rolling Stone Mcchrystal, Mcchrystal Interview, Mcchrystal, Mcchrystal General, General Mcchrystal Quotes, Mcchrystal Comments, General Mcchrystal Ro, White House@Y:World, Lling Stone, Politics News

Gen. Stanley McChrystal's candid Rolling Stone interview prompted the White House to summon McChrystal, the most senior military commander in Afghanis...

Read Whole Story

Petraeus Not the Only One Fatigued by Afghanistan

Malou Innocent | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Obama Afghanistan, Petraeus Testimony, Kandahar-Afghanistan, Afghanistan Surge, War in Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Afghan War, Marjah Afghanistan, David Petraeus, Marjah, Afghanistan War, Kandahar, Petraeus, General Petraeus, US Troops Afghanistan, Marja, World News
Malou Innocent

At a Senate hearing on Tuesday, it became glaringly obvious that "success" in Afghanistan, if it's even still achievable, will take far longer than July 2011.

Read Post

Getting Behind the Fraud in Afghanistan

Conn Hallinan | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Afghanistan Surge, Marjah, Afghanistan, Battle of Marjah, Hamid Karzai, Strategy in Afghanistan, Operation Moshtarak, World News
Conn Hallinan

Ultimately, Afghans must decide the future of Afghanistan.

Read Post

Taliban Retake Control, Momentum In Northern Marjah

New York Times | Richard A. Oppel Jr. | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Marjah Afghanistan, Marjah, Taliban Marjah, Taliban Marja, Taliban, Taliban Afghanistan, Marja, Marjah Offensive, World News

Since their offensive here in February, the Marines have flooded Marja with hundreds of thousands of dollars a week. ... The approach helped tur...

Read Whole Story

AfPak News, June 2: U.N. Official Says U.S. Should End Drone Attacks In Pakistan

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Afpak, Pakistan, Marjah, Taliban, Afghanistan, At War, AfPak News, Video, World News

Afghan police not up to the job in Marjah. The poor performance of an elite cadre of officers deployed to Marjah has cast doubt on the Afghan police's...

Read Whole Story

McChrystal Calls Marjah 'Bleeding Ulcer' In Afghan Campaign

McClatchy | Dion Nissenbaum | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Mcchrystal, General Mcchrystal, Mcchrystal Afghanistan, Marjah Afghanistan, Marjah, Stanley McChrystal, General Stanley McChrystal, McChrystal Ulcer, Afghanistan, Afghanistan War, World News

MARJAH, Afghanistan -- Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top allied military commander in Afghanistan, sat gazing at maps of Marjah as a Marine batta...

Read Whole Story

Want to Buy Some Opium?

David Reidy | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Stanley McChrystal, Kandahar, Marjah, Opium, Afghanistan, Aghan Poppy Crop, Ahmed Wali Karzai, World News
David Reidy

Afghan government must protect farmers from Taliban violence, stop participating in the drug trade, and encourage the growth of a diversity of legal crops.

Read Post

Former Bin Laden Hunter Calls Afghanistan Success 'Transitory'

AP | KATHY GANNON | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Helmand Province, Marjah, Afghanistan, Michael Scheuer, Helmand, Afghanistan Success Limited, World News

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan — In the capital of Afghanistan's Helmand province, Taliban roam the streets freely. Barely a mile (a kilometer) outsid...

Read Whole Story

Conservative Historian: Afghanistan Choice 'Like A Joke'

Rethink Afghanistan | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Andrew Bacevich, Afghanistan, Marjah Afghanistan, Andrew Bacevich Afghanistan, Andrew Bacevich Afghanistan Policy, Bacevich, Andrew Bacevich Afghanistan Like a Joke, Andrew Bacevic Marjah, Marjah, World News

Andrew J. Bacevich, professor of international relations at Boston University, pushes back against the idea that U.S. and allied forces can deliver "g...

Read Whole Story

Beware the Afghan Dependency Paradox

Jeff Schneider | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Government in a Box, Marjah, Afghanistan, Counterinsurgency, Richard Holbrooke, Operation Moshtarak, World News
Jeff Schneider

If local governments are tied to the Karzai regime, and the Karzai regime's legitimacy stems from US financial, logistical, and military support, will the US ever be able to leave Afghanistan without the central government folding?

Read Post

If One Phone Call Could End the War

Robert Naiman | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Dennis Kucinich, War Supplemental, Afghanistan War, Marjah, Kandahar, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kucinich Resolution, World News
Robert Naiman

In the next few days the House of Representatives is expected to debate and vote on a "privileged resolution" that would establish a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Read Post