Afghanistan – A Foot Soldier’s View

Now in its ninth year, the armed conflict in Afghanistan began as a U.S. war against Al Quaeda and has morphed into a U.S.-led NATO war against Afgan- and Pakistan-based Taliban forces. Like the war in Vietnam, it is an asymetric war against guerilla forces. More than 200,000 Afghan, U.S. and NATO troops, supported by planes, helicopters, unmanned drones, artillery, and U.S. Navy ships, are fighting against an unknown number of guerilla fighters. Guerilla forces may be receiving support from Pakistan and other foreign governments.

U.S. casualties have totaled fewer than 1,000 men and women, yet civilian casualties have probably exceeded military casualties by a factor of five, due to the inherent inaccuracy of soldiers’ fire, artillery, bombs, and missiles fired by drones. Some civilian casualties have been caused by the guerillas’ use of suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Civilian casualties have also resulted from the fact that villagers leave their homes to escape the fighting; women, children, and old men are often unable to withstand the rigors of living on the run, exposed to the elements, disease, and shortages of food.

Outside of the Afghan cities, most territory is controlled either by Aghan government forces or by the Taliban. When one side attempts to wrest control of a village from the other side, civilian casualties mount. While some villagers may have a preference for one side or the other, most would probably choose to be left alone by both sides. Yet they rarely have such a choice.

To minimize harm to civilians, U.S. and NATO forces should withdraw from Afghanistan. Afghan armed forces would have to choose which areas to defend, leaving the rest to the other side or to neither side. The withdrawal of outside forces would not end the current state of armed conflict, but it might help to reduce the level of violence. If the U.S. and NATO continue to augment Afghan forces with troops, weapons, and supplies, the current state of war could easily continue for another five to ten years.

The U.S. goal in Afghanistan is to make the U.S. homeland safe from attacks by terrorists based in a failed state. There are many areas around the world that offer terrorists the protection of a failed state: Yemen and Somalia have recently been mentioned as offering terrorist basing opportunities. It is simply not possible or affordable for the U.S. to mount military campaigns around the world. Instead, we will have to improve our domestic land, air, and sea defenses.