Trump’s Instincts on Afghanistan Are Right, So What Happened? - Daniel Davis, War On The Rocks

[TomSea]

Trump’s Instincts on Afghanistan Are Right, So What Happened?
Daniel L. Davis

Before agreeing in April to support President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, Sen. Rand Paul said Trump “told me over and over again in general we’re getting the hell out of [Afghanistan].” Based on my experiences during two combat deployments to Afghanistan in 2005 and 2011, the president’s instincts are spot-on correct.

Last month marked the 40th anniversary of the 1978 coup that violently brought communist rulers into power in Kabul. Two years later the Soviet Union invaded. Ten years later, they withdrew, laying the foundation for the Mujahideen Civil War that led to the rise of the Taliban in 1996 and their war against the Northern Alliance. This war was still raging on 9/11 when the U.S. military entered the scene. The fundamental causes of these various civil wars still remain today. After 40 years of fighting, the Taliban’s fight against Kabul is not going to simply end due to U.S. intervention.

The sooner Trump translates his instincts on ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan into policy, the better for America. A withdrawal will improve American national security and strengthen economic prosperity. Extricating U.S. troops from Afghanistan will not be easy, however, because there are many in Washington — senior military leaders among them — who want to defend the status quo at any cost. There is no benefit to the United States in trying to fight yesterday’s failed battles but trying to do it “better.” The strategy has failed, not the tactics.

Read more at: https://warontherocks.com/2018/05/trumps-instincts-on-afghanistan-are-right-so-what-happened/

[TomSea]

I don't have a subscription to the WSJ, Wall Street Journal, their reporting is probably respected by a good many of us. They are running this story now:

Green Berets Brace for Islamic State Offensive in Afghanistan
Insurgents test allied forces, plant mines ahead of effort to retake strategic valley
By Michael M. Phillips
Updated May 15, 2018 3:41 p.m. ET

MOHMAND VALLEY, Afghanistan—U.S. forces are preparing for a battle with Islamic State over a valley that was once the Afghan hub of the group’s campaign to create a world-wide caliphate.

The militants have been probing American and Afghan positions and hiding weapons caches in the ridges overlooking Mohmand Valley, which was controlled by ISIS fighters until allied troops chased them into the Spingar mountains at the end of last year.
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https://www.wsj.com/articles/green-berets-brace-for-islamic-state-offensive-in-afghanistan-1526412307

Strangely enough, on twitter, Kyle Orton was linking to Wall Street Journal articles, and I could read the whole article. He didn't link to this one though, yet.