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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (20881)	12/21/2003 9:13:22 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793691

You didn't like Kagan's article on Afghanistan, but it looks like they are implementing some of it. December 21, 2003 U.S. Military Unveils Changes in Strategy in Afghanistan By CARLOTTA GALL KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 21 — The commander of the United States-led coalition force here announced today a new strategy and expansion of the military provincial reconstruction teams across the country. The move is expected to have a "dramatic effect" on the security situation over the coming months, said the commander, Lt. Gen. David W. Barno. The new approach will focus primarily on security, and will target the south and southeast of the country, regions that have born the brunt of a renewed Taliban and Al Qaeda insurgency this year. The change represents a major shift in policy. The Provincial Reconstruction Teams — units of military civil affairs posted in provincial centers — have concentrated on humanitarian and reconstruction missions in an effort to win the hearts and minds of the population. "Expanding the P.R.T.'s, and rapidly expanding in that part of the country, will have a dramatic effect, I think, not only on security in the area, but in accelerating development," General Barno said at a press briefing in downtown Kabul. "It is a more shift in emphasis than a new departure," said his director of public affairs, Lt. Col. Matthew Beevers. "We are looking to ensure security so we can accelerate and enable the international community and the central government to get some programs going." Twelve teams made up of 50 to 70 people should be set up and working around the country by March, he said. They would concentrate on a range of initiatives, including patrolling, and working with and training local police and Afghan security forces. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and international and Afghan aid agencies have for months called for a stronger international effort to improve security around the country. Some prominent agencies have criticized the reconstruction teams as being an inadequate response to the serious security threats facing the Afghan population and those providing assistance. Two foreign aid workers, an Italian tourist and 13 Afghan aid workers have died in Taliban-orchestrated attacks this year. At least 100 Afghan police officers and 8 American servicemen have also been killed in attacks. In the lastest attack, on Saturday night, five Afghan border guards were killed and two injured at their post close to the border with Pakistan near the southern town of Spin Boldak. After a 29-year-old woman from the United Nations refugee agency was gunned down in the town of Ghazni last month, the United Nations special representative in Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, said that the United Nations might have to pull staff out of the country if security did not improve. Elections, scheduled for June, may have to be delayed until September, Mr. Brahimi said in an interview Friday. And even then they could only go forward if there was a major improvement in security. The shift in the military approach comes as a major change is taking place in the American mission in Kabul. Ten days ago, the new ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, arrived. Mr Khalilzad, who retains his position as special presidential envoy to Afghanistan, has brought a new intensity to the American assistance program. He is bringing a whole new team with him, who will operate a new unit called the Afghan Reconstruction Group, working under his chief of staff within the embassy, to concentrate on reconstruction projects around the country. A building to house the team is to be built within four months across the road from the heavily fortified United States embassy, aides said. Meanwhile a new embassy building within the main compound is going up at great speed, with construction teams working 24 hours a day to make enough space for the expanding embassy staff. USAID, which is seeing its budget for Afghanistan increase from $400 million last year to $1 billion this year, will triple its staff in Afghanistan in the next two to three months, Andrew Natsios, head of USAID said in a visit to Kabul last week. At the moment USAID has a staff of 40 in the country. nytimes.com

To: unclewest who wrote (20881)	12/21/2003 9:40:31 PM
From: DMaA	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793691

Go ask a few who didn't enlist.

To: unclewest who wrote (20881)	12/21/2003 9:47:26 PM
From: michael97123	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793691

Unc, IMO, conscription should be the last resort. I think historically that is what was intended in the US. Post WW2 and then post Korea, we maintained the draft to create a low cost military(not that military is highly paid today). I think that was a mistake. If we need more troops to fulfill our fp objectives and if a volunteer force cannot meet the numerical requirements then the draft should be reinstated. Mike