The Afghan Slide

Here's another poll for the 101st Chairborne to try and spin. From CTV Taliban support is on the rise.

"Canadian troops are facing another challenge in Afghanistan as Taliban support among civilians has rocketed to nearly 27 per cent." So much for hearts and minds. It is clearly time for the coalition to rethink strategies, tactics and goals throughout the region. To steal a page from CC, what are the odds that this survey falls off the Blogging Toadies radar?

"The findings stem from a large-scale survey conducted this month by Brussels-based thinktank Senlis Council. The organization polled 17,000 Afghan men in the Canadian-controlled areas of Kandahar province and in neighbouring British and U.S.-controlled regions of Helmand and Nangarhar."

How long do we maintain a failing strategy? How long do we keep feeding soldiers and money to a situation that shows every sign of getting worse? Unlike Iraq, the west had good cause to eradicate the Taliban and that seems less likely to happen by the day. The diversion of American forces and economic clout to Operation Seething Clusterfuck has scuttled the opportunity to succeed in Afghanistan. A fraction of the resources squandered in Iraq would have made a huge difference in the lives of the Afghan people. They no longer trust us and seem to be swinging toward the devil they know.

"Only 19 per cent of Afghan civilians felt that international troops were helping them personally -- with only 6.5 per cent in regions where U.S. soldiers were in control.
"The widespread perception of locals is that the international community is not helping to improve their lives," says the report.
Meanwhile, about 80 per cent of civilians said they worried about feeding their families."

What a sad mess.