Will Afghanistan Ever End?

The war in Afghanistan was to remove the Taliban government that sponsored a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 2001 and on the Pentagon by harboring al-Qaeda. Working with the UN Coalition, the mission was to restore stability to the nation to end the ability of terrorists to project harm from that location.

Sixteen years later and the Afghanistan is standing, though its capacity to ensure its citizen's and the world with competence remains in question.

This journalist and analyst suggests that the core requirement for stability in places such as this is securing economic sustainability that is enabled by a competent government. 

If our State Department leadership were to rack and stack nations in need of support for accomplishing these things, alongside their potential threat without it, where would Afghanistan be listed?

Decision Table for Defense and State:

Nations, Defense Needs, Economic Needs, Threats, Risks

As citizens, we need to understand our foreign policy situation as clear as that.

President Trump has authorized Defense Secretary Mattis to increase troop levels as needed. However, has he also authorized State Department Secretary Tillison to do the same about corresponding resources? Where does Congress stand in these decisions?

"Despite gains toward building a stable central government, the Taliban remains a serious challenge for the Afghan Government in almost every province. The Taliban still considers itself the rightful government of Afghanistan, and it remains a capable and confident insurgent force despite its last two spiritual leaders being killed; it continues to declare that it will pursue a peace deal with Kabul only after foreign military forces depart." 

CIA World Factbook

"Afghanistan surge. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sought to temper expectations he was about to embark on a large -- or rapid -- troop buildup in Afghanistan in congressional testimony on Wednesday, a day after reports emerged that President Trump delegated authority for determining the size of the U.S. commitment in the war to the Pentagon.   

“I’ve been given some carte blanche to — to draw up a strategy or a number that’s out of step with the strategy,” Mattis said. “I think right now what we have to look at is what kind of capabilities do we bring to them because the Afghans have proven they will fight.” 

fp@foreignpolicy.com

Getty Image

ISIS remains in Tora Bora