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Today in Afghanistan

By Joe Klein | @JoeKleinTIME | February 11, 2009 | +

It gets worse, as the Taliban pull off a mini-Mumbai at the Ministry of Justice in downtown Kabul, a day before Holbrooke arrives. 

On the other hand, Anne Applebaum makes a point I’ve been meaning to make here: the Afghan Army is surprisingly strong, made up of mixed-ethnic units (unlike the Iraqi Army).

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  • Cliff

    Obviously you know a lot more about the area than I do, but I’m skeptical about this. Even if it’s a great army, it’s still under Kharzai’s control (I assume) and to me that spells trouble.
    .
    Applebaum seems to acknowledge it too:
    It could also create an institution that Afghans of all ethnic backgrounds admire—assuming it doesn’t turn authoritarian or corrupt in the meantime.

  • stuartzechman

    Joe Klein:
    .
    Why is the United States cooperating with other European nations to occupy Afghanistan?
    .
    What is the point of our presence there?
    .
    What makes whatever we might accomplish high enough of a priority for us to continue the undertaking?
    .
    Why is the cost of this enterprise worth the benefit?
    .
    These are serious questions, Joe.
    .
    Do you really believe that the American people know the answers?
    .
    Do you?

  • pintortwo

    Stuart. I think those are excellent questions. I doubt that any of us citizenry can definitively answer in terms of US policy (opinion, sure). Which, btw, is not a new phenomenon.
    .
    You’re asking Mr. Klein difficult questions– not that he would have the answers (nor should he be expected to). He would have to have the opportunity and will to ask. He may yet have both.
    .
    I’ll throw another monkey into the wretch… It may be advantageous to have an alliance with the Afghan Army; a productive relationship with our most intimate regional friend may prove difficult going forward. JK?

  • formerlyjames

    SZ, you ask the impossible of Joe. He cannot answer your questions because he is stuck in the mind set of traditional US foreign policy as it has been for 60 years. He claims that Bush diverted severely from his imaginary good will foreign policy and Obama will put us back on track. In fact, Bush just added a little more bellicosity to has existed and will continue thanks to the thinkers and think tanks like that in which Joe and the Village are mired. They have no clue. Think outsided of the Village/Foreign Relations Complex Box? Forget it. I say again, don’t questions Joe is incapable of answering, unless you only jest. In that case, I would enjoy the show, if he would engage, but he won’t, so no show.

  • formerlyjames

    Forgive my typos; they are just a manifestation of my confused and angry state resulting from reading more Joke Line drivel.

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