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Welt Online | By Jacques Schuster | 14 June 2010

The West needs new allies in Afghanistan

Time is running out for Western presence in Afghanistan and money for new troops is scarce. We need new ideas.

Although it is difficult, given American and European losses: Still you have to have patience in Afghanistan. The allies are starting an offensive against the Taliban. Like it or not, it will give us problems in the coming months with a lot of bad news. Will it be successful? The question can not be answered at present. But it is certain: The time of Western presence in Afghanistan is running out.

This is not because the American Empire will perish by a longer stay in the Hindu Kush. Not a single empire in world history — neither the Macedonians nor the Soviet Union — has been destroyed because of Afghanistan. Time is running out because of increasing domestic political pressure and in the midst of the economic crisis there is no politician who is willing to bear the costs of the war. Every soldier in western Afghanistan will cost one million U.S. dollars per year. Who, in the face of this sum, is brave enough to demand an increase in troops?

Neighbors in the responsibility

Some observers will argue that the over 100,000 men who will be stationed in Afghanistan until the end of 2010 are sufficient. You forget the corresponding number of troops in 1982. There were 110 000 Russian soldiers in Afghanistan in 1982. Even then, Brezhnev was looking for ways to get out his own boys. A 100,000 then are not enough. At the same time, we know that no more soldiers will be added. The conclusion from this is clear: the Taliban must be weakened, especially politically.

But this can not happen only through Pakistan. America is too hard on the neighboring country of Afghanistan, whose dark forces [dunkle Kräfte] still do not expect to guard the Taliban. At a conference in Kabul, the Indians, Chinese, Russians and Americans should guarantee the help and independence of the Karzai government. It’s time for neighbors to take the responsibility. Not only to relieve the West, but also because of that. At least the Indians and Chinese are prepared to do so.

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Source: Welt Online