Only the Dead Have Seen the End of War

I encourage you to read this offering at Small Wars Journal on ending the war in Afghanistan:

From January to April of this year, a National War College professor and eight student-combat veterans, Team 6031,[6] met weekly to consider two subjects: the American experience in conflict termination, and the potential for ending the war in Afghanistan. The material that follows is not meant to provide negotiators a searchlight to guide their journey, but only a few, well-lit candles to draw the attention of interested observers to important, and sometimes overlooked issues. We make no claim to having a comprehensive solution to ending the war in Afghanistan, only a few well-considered thoughts on the process and its aftermath.

We have divided our observations on Afghanistan into those about ending wars in general, U.S. objectives, negotiating peace in alternative formats, and creating the infrastructure and policy for future development and the maintenance of peace.

and here are their recommendations:

• First, to remain patient and guided by long term objectives.
• Second, to march in lockstep with its Afghan and coalition partners.
• Third, to keep pressure on Pakistan to make peace and encourage Iran, India, China and Russia to play constructive roles.
• Fourth, to seek a nationwide ceasefire as soon as possible.
• Fifth, to accelerate interagency and coalition planning for post-conflict Afghanistan, and
• Finally, to craft a new strategic narrative to convince friends and foe alike that the United States is in Afghanistan not just for a temporary peace or a “decent interval,” but also to accomplish its long-term strategic objectives.

IMO it is overwhelmingly likely that, tired of endless war with no discernible end or advantage to us, we will simply remove our troops and declare an end to our war. Let’s not be deluded into believing that will end the war. It will merely end our involvement.

If there is any lesson here it should be the grave immorality of going to war without the will to achieve your objectives. It is the worst possible course of action.