Europeans See What America Cannot (Eric Margolis on Afghanistan war)

[JohnyCanuck]

Europeans See What America Cannot

By Eric Margolis

At this week's NATO conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, an angry U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates accused some Europeans of not being prepared to "fight and die" in Afghanistan in the battle against the Taliban.

The undiplomatic Gates is quite right. Most Europeans regard the Afghan conflict as a. wrong and immoral; b. America's war; c. all about oil; or d. probably lost.

To many Europeans, the NATO alliance was created to deter the real threat of Soviet aggression, not to supply foot soldiers for George Bush's wars in the Muslim world.

While Gates and the Harper government were pleading for more troops, the commander of the 40,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan, U.S. Gen. Dan McNeill, landed a bombshell. If proper U.S. military counter-insurgency doctrine were followed, McNeill admitted, the U.S. and NATO would need 400,000 troops to defeat Pashtun tribal resistance in Afghanistan.

SNIP

Final point. If impassioned claims by U.S. and Canadian politicians that the little Afghanistan war must by won at all costs, then why don't they stop orating, impose conscription, and send 400,000 soldiers, including their own sons, to fight in Afghanistan?

Of course they won't. They prefer to waste their own soldiers, and grind up Afghanistan, rather than admit this war against 40 million Pashtun tribesmen was a terrible mistake that will only get worse.

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/12744

[Prophet 451]

1. Or E) all of the above

Fact is, Europe is far less militaristic than the US for the most part.

[PDJane]

2. Most of the world is less militaristic than the US.

However, in the case of Europe, it's the result of long and bitter experience.

[Prophet 451]

4. Good point, well made

I suspect this is why Britain (I'm a Brit) is so hostile both to Chimpy and to the war that Blair lied us into; we've been down teh road of Empire, we've seen what it costs and most of us (you always get a few idiots) don't want to go down that road again.

[margotb822]

3. Bush and Co are so sad

They can't even see that their actions are destructive not constructive. They are going to defend this sinking efforts while the world laughs in their face. We don't need more war or more troops, we need more diplomacy and education. The tribesmen are not the cause of terrorism. Poverty, illiteracy, and war are at the root of the problem. Diplomacy can help solve the problems. Of course Europe doesn't want to be involved in this farce.