Afghanistan reality check

During the U.S. presidential campaign, Barack Obama vowed to refocus his country’s efforts in Afghanistan. But after promising two additional brigades and a sweeping new strategy, Obama and his staff are starting to realize what everyone else seems to know: seven years after the U.S. "ousted" the Taliban, Afghanistan remains a mess (and Osama bin Laden is still missing). Newly installed officials describe a situation on the ground that is far more precarious than they had anticipated, along with U.S. government departments that are poorly organized to implement the strategic outline that Obama presented last week to his National Security Council and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Here’s hoping that "Sim" plan pays dividends.

The Washington Post

Wired.com