Unraveling In Afghanistan

Per the NY Times, Obama's commitment to withdrawal has a familiar consequence:

Taliban Mount Major Assault in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan — In one of the most significant coordinated assaults on the government in years, the Taliban have attacked police outposts and government facilities across several districts in northern Helmand Province, sending police and military officials scrambling to shore up defenses and heralding a troubling new chapter as coalition forces prepare to depart.

...

With a deepening political crisis in Kabul already casting the presidential election and long-term political stability into doubt, the Taliban offensive presents a new worst-case situation for Western officials: an aggressive insurgent push that is seizing territory even before American troops have completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The battle in Helmand is playing out as, about 1,500 miles to the west, Iraq is losing ground to an insurgent force that advanced in the shadow of the American withdrawal there. The fear pulsing through Afghanistan is that it, too, could fall apart after the NATO-led military coalition departs in 2016.

Already, areas once heavily patrolled by American forces have grown more violent as the Afghan military and the police struggle to feed, fuel and equip themselves. The lackluster performance of the Afghan Army so far in Helmand has also evoked comparisons with Iraq, raising questions about whether the American-trained force can stand in the way of a Taliban resurgence.

Officials in Helmand say the answers may come soon enough.

From which golf course will Barry be commenting?

Comments

[Carol Herman]

Farmers in Afghanistan are growing 3 times more opium on their fields. And, the Americans built them 8-lane-highways ... through their mountains ... so they can take this crop to market.

Afghanistan (like the old China), are run by war lords. It's not the Taliban. Since the Taliban kill farmers who grow Opium.

[Stephanie]

Why watch the WC if you feel that way? Don't you have floors to lay or slots to play:)

I like WC and soccer in general. But the second half of run/foul/dribble/foul/foul/dribble was not enjoyable.

And
I did lay more patio tiles today. :)