War in Afghanistan - 17 Years of Carnage

Today marks the anniversary of the US invasion against the Taliban. Having started with a lot of support and justifications, it is becoming quite tasking for even the most supportive adherents to defend.

What the Stats Say
A look at the stats show more than 2000 US Military personnel killed and more than $2 Trillion was spent to unseat the Taliban.

So How Successful Has the War Been?
Despite the money and lives wasted, reports show that the Taliban is actually growing in numbers, strength and sophistication. This is certainly not unconnected with the fact that the casualty figures has created deep seated hated for westerns forces and values, as well as widespread poverty and general hopelessness.

The US Does Not Have to do it Alone
Some of the biggest gainers from a peaceful Afghanistan and Pakistan are the Asian nations, including China. China in particular has smartly stayed out of these conflicts and developed their infrastructure with their revenues. Going forward, the regional powers will need to be a lot more responsible for what goes on in their bloc if the War is to finally be won. They would need to address the underlying issues facing the affected country such as poverty, corruption and intelligence gathering for meaningful headway.

I had hoped Trump would have toned down more decisively on needless wars by now, but seems the status quo remains for now. Drastic measures must be taken, lest the risk of 17 more years fighting another war.