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Both the US and the UK leaders have promised to send more troops to Afghanistan by next year. There are currently over 60,000 troops in Afghanistan, about 33,000 American, the balance Nato forces from 40 countries. The decision to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan rests on two factors: the increase in casualties as allied forces take the battle to the Taliban and a hoped for way of putting an end to the fighting. Yet it is apparent that no lessons have been learnt from the battles in that region which have taken place over the centuries. It is claimed that the Afghans have never lost a war on their own territory, not just because they are hardy fighters, but they know the land too well.
Putting more troops into Afghanistan is like sending more sheep to the slaughter. Even President George W. Bush has said that June had been a "tough month in Afghanistan" with 28 of the more than 50 soldiers killed in action during June being American (24 were British). Then US Secretary of State Colin Powell, talking prior to the invasion of Iraq said: "The Powell Doctrine demands that wars be prosecuted only for key national interests, and with an explicit and specific objective, overwhelming force, strong backing from the public at home and abroad and a clear exit strategy." Although Powell was in the Bush administration, it is obvious his comments were ignored not only by Bush, but by his advisers and so-called military experts.
As with Iraq, the US administration has no clear exit strategy and is hoping that somehow both these expensive conflicts - in terms of lives lost and monetary expenditure - will somehow resolve themselves. But wars do not end like that; there has to be a negotiated settlement whereby all sides agree to abide by a set of terms that will bring peace and stability to the country.
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