Afghanistan

General Robert Gard says: "While our military operation in Afghanistan was successful in removing the Taliban, it was seriously deficient in its attempt to capture or kill the majority of Al Qaeda adherents. More recently, our excessive use of firepower and our unwillingness to help police the country, by extending security operations outside Kabul, is having the effect of undermining the partial military success we achieved".

My comment: Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and General Tommy Franks answered such criticism at length before a senate committee. I am not qualified to comment, but it would seem that the policy is to get local forces to police the country so that the US/alliance forces do not look like an army of occupation.

Ronald Hilton - 8/4/02