According to the Department of Defense, the military conflict has claimed 1,166 American lives, 874 of whom were killed in action while 292 were non-combat deaths, and the month of June 2010 was the deadliest thus far for the United States and its NATO partners. Further, 3,700 U.S. troops have been wounded in action and did not return to combat. Finally, in terms of dollars and cents, the Center for Defense Information estimates that the cost of the war for the United States is $740 billion so far.
US Withdrawal from Afghanistan
On Tuesday, July 20, 2010, at an international conference in Kabul on the future of Afghanistan Secretary of State Clinton said that the United States will stand with Afghanistan even after Washington begins its planned reduction in force next summer. "The July 2011 date captures both our sense of urgency and the strength of our resolve," Clinton said. "The transition process is too important to push off indefinitely."
Meanwhile the Associated Press reported that Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai re-affirmed his commitment for Afghan police and soldiers to take over security nationwide by 2014 and urged the international community to invest their resources in long-term Afghan priorities.
According to the AP article Karzai asked the international community to dedicate 50 percent of its foreign assistance through the government within two years and to align more projects with Afghan priorities. "It is time to concentrate our efforts on a limited number of national programs and projects to transform the lives of our people, reinforce the social compact between the state and the citizens," Karzai said.
The Afghan leader believes victory will come when Afghans take as much responsibility as possible in combating the insurgency in their country. "I remain determined that our Afghan national security forces will be responsible for all military and law enforcement operations throughout our country by 2014," said Karzai.
But this statement does not jibe with President Obama’s self imposed deadline to begin withdrawing U.S. troops in July 2011. Moreover, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh-Rasmussen said that transition to Afghan-led security would be based on conditions on the ground. "Our mission will end when — but only when — the Afghans are able to maintain security on their own," Fogh Rasmussen said.
The War in Afghanistan
As the fog of war continues to permeate the countryside, the future of Afghanistan remains murky at best. Given the events of the Summer of 2010 with the forced resignation of General Stanley McChrystal who was hand-picked by President Obama to lead the war effort, the stiff opposition of Taliban insurgents in Helmand province, Marja, and Kandahar, the return of General David Petraeus to the theatre of combat, and the spike in U.S. and NATO casualties as the surge begins, the commitment of the U.S. to stay the course remains open ended.
Meanwhile, from a distance in the relative peace and security of the central government and NATO headquarters in Kabul, President Karzai, Secretary of State Clinton, and NATO Secretary General Fogh-Rasmussen maintain that the goal is still to create a sustainable Afghan fighting force and prevent the Taliban from returning to power and providing a safe haven for Al Quaida.
In short, the cost in both casualties and dollars will continue to climb as the U.S. seeks to find a path of victory. But with 30,000 more troops on the way into combat, the question also remains as to how much longer this military engagement will last and how much more blood and treasure will be lost.
Kyle Colona - Kyle Colona is a freelance writer from the New York area with an extensive background in legal and regulatory affairs.
