Obama"s Af-Pak Strategy
On the evening of December 1, U.S. President Obama gave a televised speech, announcing to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, turning the Afghan war into his own war. Deputy Director Shao Yuqun of South Asia Studies thinks that, Obama’s speech can be seen as a “revised edition” of the “Af-Pak strategy” announced in March, but it brings little new idea. First of all, the deployment of 30,000 more troops has been expected before. Considering the security situation in Afghanistan, Obama will find it difficult to explain himself to the public and the military if he doesn’t provide the military leaders he appoints in the front with necessary force. However, the voice of Democrats against sending more troops to Afghanistan is getting stronger. Therefore, 30,000 is a compromise that neither could Obama deploy more troops than that, nor less. Second, Obama announced explicitly in the speech that the United States will gradually pull out its troops from Afghanistan from July 2011 if the security situation will allow. Undoubtedly, this timetable is to appease the “audiences” of different concerns. Third, in his speech, Obama stressed again the responsibilities of the Afghan and Pakistani governments, but he did not propose new steps of cooperation. This reflects that the U.S. government has problems in cooperating with Afghan and Pakistani governments. In regards to the future directions of the Obama administration’s “Af-Pak strategy,” Prof. Shao Yuqun thinks that the elements below are most important. First, whether General McChrystal’s assessment is tenable. (The “Af-Pak strategy” is now based on a series of assessments made in later of Bush administration, especially the Gen. McChrystal’s assessment.) Second, whether the internal political reconciliation in Afghanistan proceeds smoothly. Third, whether the Obama administration is able of dispelling Pakistan’s strategic doubts. Fourth, whether the support within the United States and from NATO can last. Now, the Afghanistan war is President Obama’s war. He has to prove to the world that he has the ability and will of leading the United States to win a “good war” and a “necessary war.” So far, he has not convinced us. （Written by Shao Yuqun, Deputy Director of Center for South Asian Studies and translated by Zhang Yao)
2016/09/10 read：697
On the evening of December 1, U.S. President Obama gave a televised speech, announcing to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, turning the Afghan war into his own war. Deputy Director Shao Yuqun of South Asia Studies thinks that, Obama’s speech can be seen as a “revised edition” of the “Af-Pak strategy” announced in March, but it brings little new idea. First of all, the deployment of 30,000 more troops has been expected before. Considering the security situation in Afghanistan, Obama will find it difficult to explain himself to the public and the military if he doesn’t provide the military leaders he appoints in the front with necessary force. However, the voice of Democrats against sending more troops to Afghanistan is getting stronger. Therefore, 30,000 is a compromise that neither could Obama deploy more troops than that, nor less. Second, Obama announced explicitly in the speech that the United States will gradually pull out its troops from Afghanistan from July 2011 if the security situation will allow. Undoubtedly, this timetable is to appease the “audiences” of different concerns. Third, in his speech, Obama stressed again the responsibilities of the Afghan and Pakistani governments, but he did not propose new steps of cooperation. This reflects that the U.S. government has problems in cooperating with Afghan and Pakistani governments. In regards to the future directions of the Obama administration’s “Af-Pak strategy,” Prof. Shao Yuqun thinks that the elements below are most important. First, whether General McChrystal’s assessment is tenable. (The “Af-Pak strategy” is now based on a series of assessments made in later of Bush administration, especially the Gen. McChrystal’s assessment.) Second, whether the internal political reconciliation in Afghanistan proceeds smoothly. Third, whether the Obama administration is able of dispelling Pakistan’s strategic doubts. Fourth, whether the support within the United States and from NATO can last. Now, the Afghanistan war is President Obama’s war. He has to prove to the world that he has the ability and will of leading the United States to win a “good war” and a “necessary war.” So far, he has not convinced us. （Written by Shao Yuqun, Deputy Director of Center for South Asian Studies and translated by Zhang Yao)