A gloomy assessment of the Afghanistan War

Nicholas Watt and Ned Temko report in The Observer on a warning that the NATO mission in Afghanistan is in some serious trouble, Failure in Afghanistan risks rise in terror, say generals 07/15/07:

Lord Inge, the former chief of the defence staff, highlighted their fears in public last week when he warned of a 'strategic failure' in Afghanistan. The Observer understands that Inge was speaking with the direct authority of the general staff when he made an intervention in a House of Lords debate.

'The situation in Afghanistan is much worse than many people recognise,' Inge told peers. 'We need to face up to that issue, the consequence of strategic failure in Afghanistan and what that would mean for Nato... We need to recognise that the situation - in my view, and I have recently been in Afghanistan - is much, much more serious than people want to recognise.'

... One source, who is familiar with the fears of the senior officers, told The Observer: 'If you talk privately to the generals they are very very worried. You heard it in Inge's speech. Inge said we are failing and remember Inge speaks for the generals.'

Our lazy "press corps" hasn't reported a lot on Afghanistan the last few years. But for those of us who have been following it, this isn't terribly surpising.

On the same issue, see US says Musharraf must regain control of border areas by Masood Haider Dawn (Pakistan) 07/15/07.

Tags: afghanistan war