Why the US is losing in Afghanistan

By Anthony H Cordesman

Most of the literature on the cost of the Iraq War, Afghan War, and "war on terror" focuses on the burden it places on the federal budget and the US economy. These are very real issues, but they also have deflected attention from another key issue: whether the war in Afghanistan is being properly funded and being given the resources necessary to win.

The situation in Afghanistan has now deteriorated steadily for more than five years, an assessment the US intelligence community has agreed to in its latest analysis of the war. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) commander in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, has noted that violence was at least 30% higher in September 2008 than in September 2007, and was driven by three factors:

The insurgents have adapted their tactics to smaller scale IEDS and ambush type attacks.

The US and NATO/International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have greater presence, and therefore greater contact with the insurgency.

A deteriorating condition in these tribal areas of Pakistan. More drugs and insurgents are being sent over the border.