A Test for Obama's policy in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has been the cemetery of the great powers at least in last three decades. After an unaccomplished mission of the Soviet Union there, the US and its NATO allies are stuck in this country. They have encountered several conditions in the country since 2001 after the US attack to topple down the Taliban regime. As Senator John Kerry already confess the US does not have certain strategy for Afghanistan and in current situation after changing the strategy in Iraq the US defines its strategy in Afghanistan. Although, I think the US officials do not reach the point to adopt a certain policy toward Afghanistan yet. The ambiguity and different vantage points on the Afghanistan issues is clearly distinguishable in US officials' remarks and views. I can refer to the current offensive to Helmand which is said to be the great attack to Taliban strongholds since 2001 with nearly 15000 troops. There are some points on that:

1. After London conference on Afghanistan and deciding to cooperate with Taliban in some issues and not to ignore them, this kind of attack is not sensible. At least it shows dividing Taliban into "bad" or "good" is not a straightforward matter.

2. The coalition forces before the operation publicize the time and the aim of offensive vastly in media. This is exactly against the military doctrine of confidentiality. This caused the Taliban flee from the Helmand.

3. Although it was the US-led operation, some resources mentioned that it is the afghan-led one. As we know the Afghan forces do not have substantial weaponry. So it is only propaganda to show the progress of afghan army.

4. Regardless of the nature of this operation, it is a good test for NATO's ability to encounter the Taliban and al-Qaida. The success of this operation may engage more the NATO in Afghanistan affairs.

5. To win the war on terror in Afghanistan, it seems that the coalition should choose between counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency policies in the ground and analyze their requirements in theory and especially in practice.

6. The US have not learned the lessons from the soviet union experiences in Afghanistan by waging war on a group which cannot be distinguish from the ordinary people. By killing every civilian in Afghanistan in such offensives Taliban can recruit more combatants in this situation there is no victory for the US and its allies in the country because even if they could push back the Taliban from Helmand and defeat them, they easily can come back after the withdrawal of the coalition troops from the province as it happened in the past.

Finally I should emphasis that fighting with invisible enemy does not have clear result even for the super power.