Academic

A LESSON FOR AFGHANISTAN? In this review of Jim Michaels? story of the Surge in Iraq, A Chance In H?

By Glenn Reynolds

A LESSON FOR AFGHANISTAN? In this review of Jim Michaels’ story of the Surge in Iraq, A Chance In Hell, there’s this passage:

When al Qaeda in Iraq challenged this intrusion, the Americans fought back with overwhelming firepower. Unlike other American commanders at the time, who sought to minimize their losses, Col. MacFarland did not relent when American casualties mounted. “My measure of effectiveness would not be low friendly casualties,” he told Mr. Michaels. “My measure of success would be defeating the enemy.”

Mr. Michaels explains that Col. MacFarland’s military operations helped to convince Sattar that the Americans?then at a low point in their effort to reshape Iraq?would persist and prevail in Anbar Province. So did Col. MacFarland’s personal diplomacy. “Instead of telling [the Iraqis] that we would leave soon and they must assume responsibility for their own security,” Col. MacFarland recalled, “we told them that we would stay as long as necessary to defeat the terrorists.”

I don’t think this is our approach in Afghanistan.

Full post as published by Instapundit.com on June 22, 2010 (boomark / email).