This is how the US can loose in Afganistan

Noted in the Wall Street Journal:

“This war has gone on for seven years, the Afghans don’t understand anymore, how come a little force like the Taliban can continue to exist, can continue to flourish, can continue to launch attacks,” Mr. Karzai told a visiting United Nations delegation Tuesday. His office released a transcript Wednesday.
[…]
Mr. Karzai for the first time said Afghans needed a clear timeline for the war and couldn’t tolerate an open-ended campaign. “If there is no deadline we have the right to another solution for peace and security, which is negotiations,” he said.

Mr. Karzai has repeatedly called for negotiations, going so far last week as to offer Taliban leader Mullah Omar safe passage to attend talks, an offer that was promptly rejected.

This is not good for the US and our security challenges.

He’s a fool if he thinks he can negotiate to victory with the Taliban.

“British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced the possibility of Chinese forces joining the multinational coalition in Afghanistan”

Interesting, if true.

China needs to step up. The US-China relationship will be one of the Big 5 Challenges for the US Foreign policy-wise for the next decade. 

“NATO mulls expanded counter-narcotics role in bid to stem growing Afghan violence”

Sigh:

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The United States on Thursday pushed NATO allies to order their troops to target Afghanistan’s thriving heroin trade in a bid to stem the flow of drug money to the widening insurgency against the troubled international military mission.

A two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers comes amid an increase in violence that has created doubts about whether Western forces can win the war against the resurgent Taliban militants.

“If we have the opportunity to go after drug lords and drug laboratories and try and interrupt this flow of cash to the Taliban, that seems to me like a legitimate security endeavor,” said U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the meeting. [AP Link]

The Afgan war is not a Counter-Narcotics war. The focus is on Al-Quada and their supporters (Taliban mostly).

The poppy business is on both sides.

US/NATO must focus on the goal: Defeating/Destroy/Degrading Al-Qada et al.

Taking on the Poppy farmers is a sure way to separate USA/NATO from the Afganistani people. That is not the way successful 4GW/COIN works.

“Saudi hosts Afghan peace talks with Taliban reps”

Update: Debunked.

—

Here’s a link.

This might be good if this is separating out the Taliban from Al-Quada.

This is bad if it is separating the AfganGOV from the USA/NATO.

One more Election thought: This will give President Obama cover/rational for when he abandons Afghanistan (and for whatever plans he or his advisers have).

I will check later to see if Long War Journal or Covert Radio have any info on this (they don’t have any yet).

Update: HotAir also has a post.

I am withholding judgment. Part of me is afraid this will lead to just another in a long line Hudnas that give the enemy cover (and to outlast the willof USA/NATO) and is how OBL and his inner circle escaped partially in 2001.

Update: More Afghanistan related news here at ttp://www.julescrittenden.com/2008/10/06/victory-impossible .

Update: Covert Radio (episodes for 9/29 and 9/30) mentioned it. I was behind on episodes. I listen to episodes at work on my iPod.

Update: The Long War Journal debunks this.

My question: On who’s behalf is this effort?

Getting China to Help in Afganistan

Hidden Unities makes a good case for the US interest in getting China involved in Afghanistan.

What is China’s interest here though? Why should they help?

A US that is bogged down with unreliable allies (aka NATO) is a US that is lesser impediment to other PRC goals.

How can China be nudged successively to join in? My mind is blank.