EMAIL DETAILS

The
Boston Globe

Afghan
war should be limited to counter-terrorism

APRIL 11, 2012

RE “LYNCH reverses
field on Afghan mission; Congressman’s visits turn hawk into
critic’’ (Page A1, April 7). From the beginning, America’s
role in Afghanistan should be have been one of counter-terrorism - finding and
stopping those elements who want to harm the United States.

That
is something that the Bush-Cheney administration and their neoconservative
cheerleaders never understood. Historically, Afghans have always managed to be
their own masters.

The
sooner the US footprint is reduced, as the Obama administration is trying to
do, the better. No amount of US treasure and blood will pacify what is
essentially a tribal war overlaid by regional actors, Pakistan and India. Both
are vying for dominant influence in Kabul and using Afghanistan as a pawn to continue
their war over Kashmir by other means.

The best America can hope for is to use its considerable influence
to get the regional actors out and help the Afghans reach a peaceful agreement.
The alternative is more bloodshed, death, and sorrow on all sides with no end
in sight.

Fariborz S. Fatemi

McLean, Va.

The writer is a former staff member for the House Foreign Affairs
Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee.