It is Now Time to Leave Afghanistan

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Commentaryby Lt. Colonel John Lewis Cook, USA (ret.)
Ifanyone out there needed more proof  thatall is lost in Afghanistan, it now appears that a smoking gun has finally beenlocated at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, the birthplace of the counterinsurgencystrategy being  used there, the samestrategy that is proving to be a complete and total failure.  While the Pentagon refuses to say much, a newhandbook is being produced at Ft. Leavenworth that places much of the blame forthe recent surge in insider attacks against our forces there on……our forces.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The major thrust of this handbook is toexplain to the troops on the ground that “cultural insensitivity” on their partis a major factor in these coldblooded murders and if the troops fully graspthis clash of cultures and refrain from any criticism of Afghan culture, thisshould greatly reduce coalition casualties at the hands of the very people theyare trying so desperately to help.  Itshould be noted at this point that 63 Americans have died so far in 2012 as aresult of these attacks.
Infact, they have been going on for a number of years and coalition forces havebeen dying as a result.  No one knows forsure how many soldiers have been killed in this manner since, for obviousreasons, the coalition did want to shine a bright light into this very darkplace.  When they increased dramaticallytwo years ago, each attack was explained as an “isolated incident” and, while“tragic,” there was no reason for alarm. That excuse has now worn thin and the truth is it can no longer beignored: the Afghan security forces are now at war with the coalition forces.
Asa result, a new explanation had to be hastily prepared and rolled out, onewhich  demonstrates  that the leadership is taking this crisisseriously, but not serious enough to place the blame where it actually belongs.  The handbook, which runs about 75 pages,instructs the troops to avoid any topic or subject that has the potential tooffend the Afghans. Naturally, such a list has to be extensive since theAfghans  are easily offended. Topics onthe banned list include the Taliban, abuse of women, homosexuality, bestialityand pedophilia.  These topics areconsidered “taboo” and discussing them is considered insensitive.   If fact, any topic that has the potential tooffend the sacred tenets of Islam must be avoided at all costs.  In short, the troops must pretend that theyhave no values of their own worth defending, certainly not there.  Standing up and speaking out for basic humanrights concerning the brutal treatment of women and the rape of children is offthe table.  The risks of running afoul ofcultural insensitivity is simply too great. Saying anything negative concerning the Taliban runs the risk ofoffending Islam since the Taliban practice a pure form of this religion and anysuch discussion could be viewed as disrespectful to Islam. 
Allof this brings up serious intellectual and philosophical questions that thePentagon would rather not address.  Ifexplaining to the Afghans that abuse of women and children, practices that areuniversally condemned,  is somehowoffensive, then why are we still there? If we remain silent on such practices, then we are condoning them.  If we refuse to speak out against  the Taliban for fear of offending Islam, whatmessage are we sending?  That the Talibanand Islam are Siamese twins, sharing a single heart?  If we go this far, we are dangerously closeto admitting that the real enemy is Islam, since Islam condones all of thesethings. Treating women as property and abusing children is deeply ingrained inthe Afghan culture, as well as widespread homosexuality.  While not discussed openly, these practicesare widely accepted.  In fact, they makeup a large part of Afghan culture.
Facedwith the choice of blaming either a 7th century religion that recognizes noother belief system, and the forces working to make life better for all Afghansfor these attacks, the American government made the politically correctdecision; the troops were thrown under the bus. 
Aftereleven years of war and over 2,100 Americans killed, it this what it has cometo?  Political correctness wrappingitself in the mantle of cultural sensitivity? The war in Afghanistan lost any relevance to America when we gave up on winninglong ago.  Now, having refused to clearlyidentify the enemy, we are placing the blame on our troops for their owndeaths.  What little morale they haveleft will disappear when this latest policy hits them.  Aside from being intellectually dishonest, itis morally bankrupt.  The blame for thistravesty must be shared.  It’s not enoughto lay it all at the feet of this administration which has proven, over andover again, that any criticism of Islam will not be tolerated.  While absolutely true, the real blame goesdeeper than that.  In the end, if thishandbook actually sees the light of day and is issued to the troops, it’s ourfault, all of us, because we have let it happen.  Slowly, over time, we simply lost our way,with one failed policy morphing into another failed policy in a desperateattempt to make Afghanistan into something it has never been and never will be;a free, democratic and prosperous nation, all the while ignoring the fact thatthe iron grip of Islam will keep Afghanistan forever chained to the 7thcentury.  Lacking the moral courage andintestinal fortitude to face this, it is now time to simply leave. Forget aboutthe Afghans taking responsibility for their own security and forget all thehype about nation building.  Put all thatin the back of the bus and turn the lights out; it’s over. 
Aboutthe AuthorLieutenantColonel John Lewis Cook, United States Army (Retired), “served as the SeniorAdvisor to the Ministry of Interior in Kabul, Afghanistan, with responsibilityfor developing the force structure for the entire Afghan National Police.  As of 2012, this force totals 157,000.  From March 2008 until August 2012, his accessand intimate associations with all levels of the Afghan government andcoalition forces have provided him with an unprecedented insight into thepolicies which will determine the outcome of the war.  It is this insight, coupled with his contactsand associations throughout Afghanistan that form the basis of Afghanistan: ThePerfect Failure.
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