Meanwhile, in Cheney's other success-story country...

I've been a little surprised that there hasn't been more resistance in the European Union countries to continued participation in the NATO mission in Afghanistan. We're way beyond whether the war in 2001 was necessary and justified. The NATO force that is there can't reasonably to expected to suppress the various insurgent group, local warlords and drug barons that are fighting there.

So how long will the publics in those democracies support their soldiers being put in danger in another Lost Cause, courtesy of Tony Blair's good friends Dick Cheney and Shrub Bush?

It's not going so great right now: Can NATO Win Against Taliban Insurgents? by Dad Noorani Inter Press Service 08/20/06. Noorani writes:

British Lt. Gen. David Richards indicated the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) under NATO command would continue to use the heavy firepower the coalition has employed in recent months in response to an escalation in militant attacks. "We will retain the capability and will to strike ruthlessly at the enemies of Afghanistan when required," he said.

But, is this all it will take to defeat the insurgent? ...

NATO's priorities include maintaining security, extending the central government's authority and speeding up the reconstruction process. It will consult and coordinate all its activities with the Afghan government and the international community and would evaluate its strategy every other month and twice a year. ...

NATO officials declared that they would not engage in counter-terrorism operations, but would assist the reconstruction process and strongly react to those who intend to disrupt the efforts aimed at extending and strengthening the Afghan government's authority.

But the key question that many Afghans ask is whether NATO countries are capable and willing enough to win the war against the insurgents and their local and foreign backers.

This would include taking on the drug mafia and some neighbouring countries and getting tough with President Karzai over corruption in the government. But, NATO's greatest difficulty in the south lies in ending foreign support for the insurgents.

I would note in connection with current discussions of the Afghanistan War that Juan Cole and other analysts familiar with Afghanistan caution that what the US press often refers to as resurgent "Taliban" may involve various other groups than just the notorious Taliban that ran the Afghan government.

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