Titans struggle with a doomed war strategy
By H.D.S. Greenway
Boston Globe
July 6, 2010
LIKE THE mythical Titans, the brothers Prometheus and Epimetheus, much was expected of Generals David Petraeus and Stanley McChrystal. It was hoped they would provide coherent answers to why their country was doing so badly in its never-ending wars in Muslim lands. As Prometheus had stolen fire from the gods, had not Petraeus snatched, if not victory, at least something better than defeat from the anarchy, insurrection, and civil war that was Iraq? Hadn’t Petraeus provided the gift of light at the end of that particular tunnel?
McChrystal had the task to populate Afghanistan with surging soldiers who would, perhaps, pull off something similar in that benighted land. But, like Epimetheus, he fell short. McChrystal’s surge has not blunted the Taliban. The operation in Marja is a mess, and the battle for Kandahar has been postponed.
The brothers won fame and promotion, but the jealous gods introduced the seductive Pandora in the form of Rolling Stone — whom some might consider the goddess of journalism. McChrystal fell for her, as did Epimetheus. Petraeus, like Prometheus, would have been wiser. Rolling Stone opened the box of horrors that revealed all the rivalries, bitter differences, and insubordinations of a dysfunctional American team.
President Obama has to get a handle on the civilian side of the civilian and military effort. Special representative Richard Holbrooke, for example, needs to have his role more clearly defined to be effective. It is not possible to have the American ambassador in Kabul squabbling with the military commander and Holbrooke at swords point with ambassadors in both Kabul and Islamabad.
(More here.)
Boston Globe
July 6, 2010
LIKE THE mythical Titans, the brothers Prometheus and Epimetheus, much was expected of Generals David Petraeus and Stanley McChrystal. It was hoped they would provide coherent answers to why their country was doing so badly in its never-ending wars in Muslim lands. As Prometheus had stolen fire from the gods, had not Petraeus snatched, if not victory, at least something better than defeat from the anarchy, insurrection, and civil war that was Iraq? Hadn’t Petraeus provided the gift of light at the end of that particular tunnel?
McChrystal had the task to populate Afghanistan with surging soldiers who would, perhaps, pull off something similar in that benighted land. But, like Epimetheus, he fell short. McChrystal’s surge has not blunted the Taliban. The operation in Marja is a mess, and the battle for Kandahar has been postponed.
The brothers won fame and promotion, but the jealous gods introduced the seductive Pandora in the form of Rolling Stone — whom some might consider the goddess of journalism. McChrystal fell for her, as did Epimetheus. Petraeus, like Prometheus, would have been wiser. Rolling Stone opened the box of horrors that revealed all the rivalries, bitter differences, and insubordinations of a dysfunctional American team.
President Obama has to get a handle on the civilian side of the civilian and military effort. Special representative Richard Holbrooke, for example, needs to have his role more clearly defined to be effective. It is not possible to have the American ambassador in Kabul squabbling with the military commander and Holbrooke at swords point with ambassadors in both Kabul and Islamabad.
(More here.)
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