DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - An Un-winnable War?

**Boripiomi** · 08-08-2010, 01:14 PM

I'm wondering why the OP would call a war unwinnable, when his example is that the Taliban brilliantly executed an ambush on unarmed civilians. Wow, how impressive. Amazulu, you and I could have pulled that off.

As to whether the war in Afghanistan is unwinnable, it is unwinnable to the extent that as in Vietnam, our war aims and strategy aren't clear. We need some leadership in that regard to establish achievable war aims, and a strategy for achieving said aims.

This is how terrorist warfare is - they look for the easy targets and attack those. Seldom do you get pitched battles between forces as they will be marmelised. I fought in a terrorist war in Rhodesia so know what goes on. If all your operations, in particular non-partisan Aid, require escorts then you have lost - that is why I put that in, not because it was a difficult target.

Homebased terrorist conflict cannot be won by conventional means - show me an example where that is not the case. There has to be a political solution of some kind acceptable to the protagonists and it seems that the Taliban have the people by the balls.

08-08-2010, 01:14 PM	#22
Boripiomi Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 370 Senior Member	I'm wondering why the OP would call a war unwinnable, when his example is that the Taliban brilliantly executed an ambush on unarmed civilians. Wow, how impressive. Amazulu, you and I could have pulled that off. As to whether the war in Afghanistan is unwinnable, it is unwinnable to the extent that as in Vietnam, our war aims and strategy aren't clear. We need some leadership in that regard to establish achievable war aims, and a strategy for achieving said aims. This is how terrorist warfare is - they look for the easy targets and attack those. Seldom do you get pitched battles between forces as they will be marmelised. I fought in a terrorist war in Rhodesia so know what goes on. If all your operations, in particular non-partisan Aid, require escorts then you have lost - that is why I put that in, not because it was a difficult target. Homebased terrorist conflict cannot be won by conventional means - show me an example where that is not the case. There has to be a political solution of some kind acceptable to the protagonists and it seems that the Taliban have the people by the balls.
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