Defense adviser talks U.S. policy in Afghanistan

The U.S. war in Afghanistan began Oct. 7, 2001, making it America’s longest war to date. Last Friday, a small audience gathered at the India Studies House to hear an opinion of the war from Larry Goodson, a professor of Middle East Studies at the U.S. Army War College and adviser to the Department of Defense on the war in Afghanistan.

Specifically, Goodson’s talk focused on what U.S. policy in Afghanistan will and should be in the face of declining American public opinion. Knowing his opinions could be politically controversial, he began his talk with a speedy disclaimer.

“Views expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the position of the U.S. Army War College, Department of Defense or U.S. government,” Goodson said.

He then proceeded to explain those opinions, including the belief that what government officials call progress in Afghanistan might not necessarily be supported by data.

“I think if we were to really look at what they call progress, if you look at the data, I think you might find that the support for those statements isn’t really there,” Goodson said.

Rita Lichtenberg, a program chairwoman for the Bloomington chapter of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, went a step further, calling the war unnecessary.

“It’s disgraceful,” Lichtenberg said. “We have so much need here in our own country, and instead we’re spending money and sending kids over there.”

In his lecture, Goodson indicated the $500 billion Department of Defense budget isn’t the main problem; it’s the strategy the money is going toward.

He outlined the DoD’s COIN, or counterinsurgency strategy, which is part of the Obama administration’s larger goal to “disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al-Qaida and its safe havens in Pakistan and prevent their return to Pakistan or Afghanistan.”

Goodson said he believes the more important country involved in U.S. policy in Afghanistan is Pakistan.

“Pakistan: Far Harder and More Important than Afghanistan,” Goodson’s PowerPoint slide read.

When asked where in Afghanistan members of Al-Qaida are located, Goodson replied, “They’re not there. They’re in Pakistan.”

Lichtenberg said most Americans don’t know these facts because they’re “asleep in their chairs.” She said more public discussion of U.S. policy in Afghanistan is needed for Americans to “wake up.” However, Goodson said the public decision has already been made.

“The bell has rung for a lot of people,” Goodson said. “They’re saying it’s time for this to end.”

Goodson said the current war has many parallels to the previous defeats dealt to Soviet and British forces in Afghanistan.

“In the war with the Soviets, it was the same thing,” Goodson said. “You had the Taliban fighting from their safe havens in Pakistan. We have the same thing now with Al-Qaida.”

Goodson also said given America’s most recent history in the region, ending military occupancy in Afghanistan is harder than it sounds.

“It’s going to be very hard for us to leave,” Goodson said. “Our reputation for staying power is very poor already.”