'Kandahar is critical' to the war's success

[Swede]

•This paper describes the Taliban’s multi-year campaign to exert control over Kandahar City. Kandahar is the center of gravity of the Quetta Shura Taliban’s efforts in Afghanistan. The paper demonstrates why Coalition forces have hitherto inadequately responded to the Taliban in Kandahar, and explains why ISAF will most likely allocate additional forces to the districts around Kandahar City in 2010.

http://www.understandingwar.org/report/talibans-campaign-kandahar

[bigtree]

1. like Fallujah or Baghdad

. . . maybe they can build a wall after they've bombed everyone there.

[Vincardog]

2. The Taliban are operating in the villages not the cities. This city based "plan" if BULL$hit

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. The russians realized too late that cities are worthless. The real center

of gravity is the poppy fields & those are controlled by bad ass warlords not the Taliban.

[polichick]

4. Doesn't the new oil pipeline run through Kandahar? nt

[Sebastian Doyle]

8. Yep

[polichick]

10. Considering the recent deal between Iraq and ExxonMobil & partners...

...it's hard not to think this war has a lot to do with pipeline/oil interests, as well as private war contractor profits.

Whether the prez is a willing participant or a victim whose family might be threatened by the mic is hard to say.

[mmonk]

11. Why yes, that "coincidence" exists.

[mike_c]

5. define "success...."

Seriously. If Kandahar is critical, what's it critical to? What is "success?"

[Swede]

6. Read the conclusions on page 55 and 56 of the pdf.

I think this is an important study.

[mike_c]

7. OK, bookmarked for later reading....

Thanks.

[optimator]

9. what if Obama nuked Kandahar

I'm sure the cheerleaders would orgasm over it if he whispered sweet nothings about how he contemplated this decision and how it is an "exit strategy."