Morning Read: Fort Drum winning, Taliban losing
The Watertown Daily Times has a pair of articles this morning that suggest a rosy future for Fort Drum, and a less rosy future for the Taliban that so many 10th Mountain Division soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan.
This from an article on Sen. Charles Schumer’s visit to Fort Drum:
Fort Drum will not be affected by any newly proposed cuts to the military that would trim the federal budget, U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer said during a Tuesday stop in Watertown.
“Our military necessities — whether it be in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lord knows where else — is going to need the kind of soldiers we train at Fort Drum,” he said. “The future is very positive for growth at Fort Drum and I will work to see it happens.”
Meanwhile, according to the Times, a top Fort Drum commander thinks the Taliban are close to the breaking point, following the allied surge in Afghanistan.
Col. Willard Burleson, commander of the 10th Mountain Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, told reporters in a briefing from Afghanistan that he’s optimistic about the turnaround by some enemy fighters, about 100 of whom have “reintegrated” with Afghan society in areas under the division’s command.
“You grow weary of fighting and desire to go back to your village and live a normal life,” Col. Burleson said.
Read the full articles at the Watertown Daily Times website.
I think most people would be surprised at how much war is a matter of perception in central Asia. If you are perceived as being the winner fighting will stop very quickly. That is why the Taliban seemingly collapsed when we first invaded Afghanistan in 2002. The tradition is for the losing side to disband quickly and return to home and family partly to defend the home and partly to simply be alive to provide for family. We should have a much better understanding of tribal societies in this country.
Allegiance is mutable for them. We may think it strange or even dishonorable here but they would find it very odd that we make kindergarteners stand and pledge allegiance to the Flag.