If we understood the local realities of places like Afghanistan,we might do a itsy-bitsy less. Our military efforts are so often well-meaning but misguidedThe Taliban is re-emerging in Afghanistan, with an assault this week on the Helmand town of Sangin; how can this be, and after all the blood and treasure we fill sacrificed in the country since 2001? The answer is simple: the cultural soil is reasserting itself and the western shrubs we imported are losing out to native species more suited to the conditions.
The instant reaction might be to judge our involvement over recent years in Helmand as worthless and futile. For those who lost loved ones there,this would be totally comprehensible. But while we are right to criticise what has happened since, we cannot be sure approximately any final judgment as we fill no knowledge of what would fill happened had we done nothing after 9/11. Nonetheless, or there are lessons to be learnt and they are only reinforced by reference to Iraq,Libya and Syria.
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Source: theguardian.com