The Failed Promise: Reflections on America’s Afghanistan Experience | Small Wars Journal

Counter insurgency is not a one fight win. It takes time and perseverance which American politicians and people do not possess. As long as the insurgent have a fall back safe haven to reconstitute and organize they will continue. Pakistan was to the taliban as north vietnam was to the NVA. Additionally just because you kill an insurgent doesn’t mean you kill the ideology. The corrupt government of Afghanistan contributed gravely to the failed counter insurgency. The afghan government paid the Taliban not to attack certain afghan communities while turning a blind eye to Taliban devistation of other communities not in good graces with the government. Finally you cannot conduct counter insurgency with fluctuations in political and military support. The EV and flow of support in Afghanistan was in clear view by the afghan people and they were not going to support a “sometime/maybe counter insurgency .” The majority of afghan did not have the option of leaving the shit show and had to maintain a sometime support of the counter insurgency in order to preserve life and property. War is ugly and the average civilian/country does not have the intestinal fortitude required to stay the course.