Afghanistan, Iraq: Two Very Different Wars

U.S. Marines conduct a vehicle sweep to ensure there are no hidden improvised explosive devices during a security patrol through the Nawa district in the Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 28, 2009. U.S Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Artur Shvartsberg

From AP:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHANK, Afghanistan — Veterans of Iraq recall rolling to war along asphalted highways, sweltering in flat scrublands and chatting with city-wise university graduates connected to the wider world.

Now fighting in Afghanistan, U.S. soldiers invariably encounter illiterate farmers who may never have talked to an American as they slog into remote villages on dirt tracks through bitterly cold, snow-streaked mountains.

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My Comment: The Soviets made the same observations when they occupied Afghanistan in the 1980s. Their soldiers were prepared to fight tank battles on the plains of Europe .... but in Afghanistan their tanks were useless and their battle tactics totally inadequate to the terrain and culture of the region.

Iraq's Militia Clash Could Bode Ill For Afghanistan

U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Collins, bottom, Cpl. Tim Garrett, left, and Staff Sgt. Travis Smith provide sniper overwatch during clearing operations in Shuzayf, Iraq, March 26, 2009. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Walter J. Pels

From The Danger Room:

U.S. forces are forcibly disarming one of their key allies in the fight for Iraq. And that has major implications for America's future -- both in the Middle East, and in Central Asia.

Street fighting erupted in Baghdad this weekend after the arrest of Adel Mashadani, a Sunni militia leader and key figure in the "Awakening" movement. Now, for the first time, Mashadani's Awakening council is being disarmed and disbanded; U.S. and Iraqi officials "are not going to allow it to re-form," according to the New York Times. This has sparked a lot of concern about a great unraveling in Iraq, even as the Obama administration shifts its attention to Afghanistan.

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My Comment: Arming and training local militias has always been a double edge sword. There is always a strong possibility that they will turn against you .... which has already happened in some isolated cases within Iraq.

As I had remarked in a post a few days ago, the next two years are going to be crucial for Iraq. if it succeeds, there is a chance that Afghanistan will also succeed. But if Iraq falls apart, and sectarian fighting breaks out again .... the hope for Afghanistan to succeed will unfortunately be appreciable lowered.