Source: The Washington Post
Afghanistan after McChrystalThe selection of Gen. David Petraeus and departure of Gen. Stanley McChrystal creates an opening to fix a failing strategy.
On the ground, the situation looks unwinnable, and the United States will not be able to reverse the trajectory of the war in the next year. America and its partners decided -- sensibly -- not to go through with a major military offensive in Kandahar this summer. Officials in the area are highly corrupt, there is little trust in government or judiciary, and there is virtually no chance for success without a reliable local partner.
With security and political stability across Afghanistan continuing to deteriorate, U.S. strategy needs to be rethought. The coalition faces the risk of an endless engagement with an unsustainable cost and intolerable loss of life that cannot be won militarily.
President Hamid Karzai is in decline and the Taliban is gaining strength, so Washington's best option is to begin negotiations with the Taliban. Patraeus should begin by scaling back military offensives and reducing coalition casualties. This winter the coalition should declare a cease-fire and start negotiating with the Taliban.
Without a military solution, negotiating with the Taliban is the only option. A negotiated agreement can pave the way for a unity government and hopefully stabilize the country. The arrival of Petraeus offers a window to analyze the grim realities and start implementing the most effective way forward.