War on Terror

Dear Friends,

It seems to me that now is the time for the new administration to follow an aggressive strategy in the war in Afghanistan. Not sit back and let the May elections be held back to August. As is related in the Taipei Times;

[Secretary of Defense Robert Gates last week warned of grandiose goals in Afghanistan, prescribing a single-minded strategy to prevent Afghanistan from being a terrorism launch pad tantalizingly close to Europe.

“Afghanistan is the fourth or fifth poorest country in the world and if we set ourselves the objective of creating some sort of Central Asian Valhalla over there, we will lose,” Gates said, referring to a haven of purity in Norse mythology. “Nobody in the world has that kind of time, patience or money, to be honest.”]

That is a loosing strategy for a war that was started essentially by 911. The USA must finish the job in Iraq and aggressively push for free and fair elections in Afghanistan. That is a winning strategy in the war on terror.

Even the Elite have to admit that the new elections in Iraq are a watershed. The country is stabilizing into a nation. With proper governance, as little as possible, Iraq will become an economic powerhouse. The people are industrious and motivated. If the government doesn’t get in the way trying to warp outcomes the Nation of Iraq will join the first world of nations. Too fast withdrawal of American troops from Iraq would create a power vacuum sucking in bad elements. A controlled and sensible withdrawal is prudent.

Afghanistan is another problem. Read the papers in Afghanistan on the Net. Kabul Press and Afghan News have the constant theme of corruption. Government corruption is rampant in Afghanistan. The people are swimming in the corruption. Bribes are the norm. This leads the people to be corrupt. This leads them to the Taliban. It is written in invisible ink on every page. The pivot point in Afghanistan is the corruption.

Delaying scheduled elections only serve to exasperate the people. They think the problem is the present Elite in Afghanistan are only hedging to game the election. Whether or not that is true it is the perception, magnified by the delay, of the people. A person’s perception is to him or her truth.

What is the answer to the epidemic of corruption in Afghanistan? The Numa. Here we have a perfect example of a country to implement this idea. If the guy at the DMV of Afghanistan asks for or even accepts a bribe he or she will be on video camera and prosecuted. When the corrupt politician plays both side of the war he or she will be caught on tape, video and voice, and punished to the extent the law allows. The corrupt politician who advocates stoning a woman who is visiting prostitutes will be caught and punished to the extent he or she advocates for others. Pit the government against itself. The people of Afghanistan will be the winners.

Without rooting the corruption form the government of Afghanistan no amount of military might will suffice. In a swamp the bulldozer always looses. Drain the swamp first. Then you don’t need the bulldozer.