An interesting comparison below... the Soviets were in Afghanistan for what?, 10, 12 years? It took some considerable time for Muslims (individuals and nations) from the Middle East and South Asia to rally sufficient funds and combatants to begin to give the Soviets a serious black eye in that out-of-the-way place... of course, in the later stages of that conflict, US covert and not-so-covert assistance mounted as well.
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"...But it's time to face up to three realities. First, the war is helping, not hurting, the terrorists. Second, the kind of clear victory the hawks promised is no longer possible, if it ever was. Third, a time limit on our commitment will do more good than harm.
Before the war, opponents warned that it would strengthen, not weaken, terrorism. And so it has: a recent C.I.A. report warns that since the U.S. invasion, Iraq has become what Afghanistan was under the Soviet occupation, only more so: a magnet and training ground for Islamic extremists, who will eventually threaten other countries.
And the situation in Iraq isn't improving. "The White House is completely disconnected from reality," said Senator Chuck Hagel, referring to upbeat assessments of progress. "It's like they're just making it up as they go along. The reality is that we're losing in Iraq."
...Remember, Iraq wasn't a breeding ground for terrorists before we went there. All indications are that the foreign terrorists now infesting Iraq are there on the sufferance of a homegrown insurgency that finds them useful for the moment but that, brutal as it is, isn't interested in an apocalyptic confrontation with the Western world. Once we're no longer targets, the foreign terrorists won't be welcome."
July 1, 2005
America Held Hostage
By PAUL KRUGMAN
nytimes.com |
