Victory in Afghanistan 'impossible': Gorbachev

[unhappycamper]

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who was in charge when Soviet troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 after a war lasting nearly a decade, added that the alternative to pulling out troops was "another Vietnam" which "wouldn't work."


Victory in Afghanistan 'impossible': Gorbachev
Published on Wednesday, October 27, 2010 by Agence France-Presse

LONDON – Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said it was "impossible" for coalition forces to secure victory in Afghanistan in a BBC interview broadcast Wednesday.

Gorbachev, who was in charge when Soviet troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 after a war lasting nearly a decade, added that the alternative to pulling out troops was "another Vietnam" which "wouldn't work."

~snip~

"Victory is impossible in Afghanistan. Obama is right to pull the troops out no matter how difficult it will be," Gorbachev told the BBC.

He added that it would be "difficult" for the US to pull out of Afghanistan because the US had previously trained militants there who were still "terrorising" the region.

"It will be more difficult for America to get out of this situation. But what's the alternative? Another Vietnam? Sending in half a million troops? That wouldn't work," Gorbachev added.

[robcon]

1. Gee, I always look to Gorbachev for penetrating analysis of world events.

:sarcasm:

[spanone]

2. when it comes to afghanistan you should take down your sarcasm thingy

[robcon]

3. Huh? You think Gorbachev is an expert on Afghanistan?

:puke:

[spanone]

4. history is a bitch

[dgibby]

5. +1

Too bad we didn't pay more attention BEFORE we decided to get into that quagmire, isn't it?

[efhmc]

6. The problem is continuing to look for a victory or military solution.

The long term answer/solution involves education, building infrastructure and trying to change the people's economic future. Much like what we should be doing in the US.