Can the US defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan?

[Banglar Bir]

Can the US defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan?
Security is worsening as the Taliban continue to wield control on large parts of the South Asian country.

01 Aug 2017 21:15 GMT War & Conflict, Afghanistan, Taliban, US & Canada, Asia
United States defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan? Security is worsening as the Taliban continue to control large parts of the country.

The US war against the Taliban in Afghanistan began soon after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Sixteen years on, what progress has been made?

A new report suggests very little. The security situation is only getting worse by the day. About 500 Afghan soldiers are being killed every month and the United Nationssays civilian casualties are at a record high.

Much of the Taliban's funding comes from opium poppies and the illegal drug trade. The value of opium has doubled to more than $3bn in one year.

The US has pumped more than $700bn into Afghanistan since the beginning of the war - a report suggests the US does not even know how the money is being spent.

So what's the White House strategy now?

Presenter: Martine Dennis

Guests:
Haroun Mir - Cofounder of Afghanistan's Centre for Research and Policy Studies.

David Sedney - Former deputy US assistant secretary of defense for Afghanistan & Pakistan.

Omar Samad - Former senior adviser to the chief executive of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah.
Source: Al Jazeera

Watch the video on the link below:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes...feat-taliban-afghanistan-170801193924616.html

 

[Khanate]

 

[LeGenD]

Yes, US can defeat Taliban, if it commits itself to this cause in a proper way with adequate amount of resources and a reasonable strategy. However, US seems to have lost much interest in Afghanistan since 2014; US-led operations against Taliban are a rarity these days.

You cannot defeat Taliban with lack of action and strategy.

 

[Cell_DbZ]

You cannot defeat Taliban with lack of action and strategy.

It is really hard to defeat an ideology, destroy the taliban, something else will take it's place. No matter how hard you bomb them, I'm afraid.

 

[cloud4000]

Yes, US can defeat Taliban, if it wants to. However, US seems to have lost much interest in Afghanistan since 2014.

US-led operations against Taliban are a rarity these days.

I disagree. US couldnt defeat Taliban when they had over 100K ISAF/NATO forces. And they can't now without cooperation of Afghanistan & Pakisatn, the former is just useless while the latter is reluctant.

I see no hope of a solution unless there are radical decisions are made.

 

[LeGenD]

I disagree. US couldnt defeat Taliban when they had over 100K ISAF/NATO forces. And they can't now without cooperation of Afghanistan & Pakisatn, the former is just useless while the latter is reluctant.

I see no hope of a solution unless there are radical decisions are made.

Would you expect Taliban forces to establish front-lines against a NATO force that large? They didn't.

However, a massive NATO draw-down [in 2014] has let the cat out of the bag (finally); Taliban-led forces are clearly visible and making advances across Afghanistan. However, US is not doing anything about it; this is the right time to take them out where-ever they are visible.

But before US can do anything about a resurgent Taliban, White House needs to get its house in order first.

It is really hard to defeat an ideology, destroy the taliban, something else will take it's place. No matter how hard you bomb them, I'm afraid.

I understand that.

US all but eradicated Al-Qaeda Network in Afghanistan and other states but ISIS have emerged in its place to fill the void.

 

[maximuswarrior]

You reap what you sow.

The Americans are kidding themselves to believe that they are only fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Americans are fighting against Russia, China and Iran. Every side is supporting the enemy of its enemy. A leaf straight out of the American book.

 

[LeGenD]

You reap what you sow.

The Americans are kidding themselves to believe that they are only fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Americans are fighting against Russia, China and Iran. Every side is supporting the enemy of its enemy. A leaf straight out of the American book.

None of them are directly involved in war in Afghanistan - some Afghans have this bad habit of accusing all neighbors for the mess in their country. China, in particular, desires a peaceful Afghanistan due to OBOR factor.

Taliban-led forces are making gains across Afghanistan [virtually unopposed]. US no longer seems committed to Afghan front.

US needs to a stable White House before it can commit to an external front thousands of miles apart.

 

[fitpOsitive]

Can the US defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan?
Security is worsening as the Taliban continue to wield control on large parts of the South Asian country.

01 Aug 2017 21:15 GMT War & Conflict, Afghanistan, Taliban, US & Canada, Asia
United States defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan? Security is worsening as the Taliban continue to control large parts of the country.

The US war against the Taliban in Afghanistan began soon after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Sixteen years on, what progress has been made?

A new report suggests very little. The security situation is only getting worse by the day. About 500 Afghan soldiers are being killed every month and the United Nationssays civilian casualties are at a record high.

Much of the Taliban's funding comes from opium poppies and the illegal drug trade. The value of opium has doubled to more than $3bn in one year.

The US has pumped more than $700bn into Afghanistan since the beginning of the war - a report suggests the US does not even know how the money is being spent.

So what's the White House strategy now?

Presenter: Martine Dennis

Guests:
Haroun Mir - Cofounder of Afghanistan's Centre for Research and Policy Studies.

David Sedney - Former deputy US assistant secretary of defense for Afghanistan & Pakistan.

Omar Samad - Former senior adviser to the chief executive of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah.
Source: Al Jazeera

Watch the video on the link below:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes...feat-taliban-afghanistan-170801193924616.html

Taliban were never first target of USA. How war on AlQaida turned into a war on Taliban? And some guys, sitting in Washignton are trying to turn the war on Taliban into a war on Pakistan.
Current situation of Afghanistan is due to USA's behavior. No matter what Pakistan does, in the end we only receive blames and a shout of "do more". America bombs Taliban, and in return Taliban bomb Pakistan. Thousands and thousands of innocent civilians lost their lives that way. But policy makers of USA are just not ready to understand Pakistan's situation.

 

[maximuswarrior]

None of them are directly involved in war in Afghanistan - some Afghans have this bad habit of accusing all neighbors for the mess in their country. China, in particular, desires a peaceful Afghanistan due to OBOR factor.

Taliban-led forces are making gains across Afghanistan [virtually unopposed]. US no longer seems committed to Afghan front.

US needs to a stable White House before it can commit to an external front thousands of miles apart.

These accusations don't only come from the Afghans. The US directly accuses these countries for supporting the Taliban.

 

[Lahorie]

Americans refused to learn from history of Russian military adventure in Afghanistan with the objective of taking over Kabul and make Afghanistan part of USSR.

US lost the battle against Taliban and to conquer Afghanistan the day she decided to use military force to subdue the Afghanistan. Now it was Russia's turn to return the favour and they used it. Iran also found an opportunity to use Afghanistan as a proxy to fight against US and they did too. Afghan Taliban employed the time tested strategy of guerilla war against American military might. The result is that US has failed to defeat Taliban and trillions of dollars invested in Afghanistan venture to exploit its natural resources and to neutralize nuclear assets of Pakistan has met with utter failure. Winning the Afghanistan is out of question now.