Summary
Highlights
This documentary, 'Obama's War,' explores the challenging situation in Afghanistan and the new counterinsurgency strategy. It questions America's chances of success, highlighting the perilous situation and the core mission: why U.S. personnel continue to fight and die.
In July 2009, 4,000 Marines landed in Helmand province. Photojournalist Dan Fung Dennis captured the heavy fighting, the threat of IEDs, and the Marines' objective to control a key canal crossing and market. The first day saw the death of 20-year-old Lance Corporal Charles Seth Sharp, underscoring the immediate dangers.
The Marines established Combat Outpost Sharp in an old schoolhouse, aiming to connect with locals and separate them from the Taliban. Despite the new strategy, locals, fearing Taliban retaliation, fled the market. This highlights the difficulty in building trust and engaging the population, especially with communication barriers and Taliban threats.
Helmand province, once a major foreign aid project, became the world's largest opium supplier. The opium trade generates significant funds for the Taliban and fuels corruption. Marines acknowledge the complex issue but prioritize combating the Taliban, who consistently engage in distant skirmishes, making it hard to build trust with the locals.
The political front in Kabul is as challenging as the military one. The counterinsurgency strategy includes improving governance and fighting corruption, which is rampant at all levels in Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai's government is criticized for rehabilitating corrupt officials and warlords, leading to public disillusionment and driving some to the Taliban, who offer a form of order.
The Taliban established a sophisticated 'shadow government' with administrators and courts, filling the governance vacuum in 70% of Afghanistan's territory. They actively engage the population, offering rudimentary justice and gaining local support, which directly challenges NATO and the Afghan government's efforts.
The U.S. military works to connect the national government with provincial leaders to address local issues and offer economic alternatives to illegal trades like timber smuggling. Despite ambitious goals, critics question the nation-building strategy, arguing it's too complex and lacks a clear end goal, potentially leading to perpetual engagement.
Pakistan serves as a sanctuary for the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, creating a major challenge. Despite U.S. drone attacks on Taliban leaders, the Pakistani government publicly condemns these actions, highlighting a strained but critical partnership. Pakistan's military has fought its own Taliban, but its intelligence service (ISI) is suspected of historically supporting Afghan Taliban factions like the Haqqani network and Mullah Omar for strategic gain.
U.S. officials, including Admiral Mullen and the CIA, presented evidence of ISI support for militants, leading to frustration within the Obama administration. Despite U.S. aid, Pakistan's commitment to aggressively target all militant groups, especially those threatening Afghanistan, remains questionable. This duplicity makes the war even more complicated, with the U.S. effectively fighting an enemy supported by its own ally.
The Afghan elections were marred by widespread fraud, undermining the legitimacy of the government and American efforts. This deadlock, coupled with the Taliban's strategic depth in Pakistan, raises questions about the future. Different perspectives are debated: some advocate for a smaller footprint focused on counterterrorism, while others, like General McChrystal, request more troops for a full counterinsurgency approach, fearing loss if not adequately supported.
The documentary concludes with the ongoing debate about the necessity and strategy of the war. Despite some progress by Echo Company in Helmand, trust remains elusive, and attacks continue. The war's complexities underscore that simply winning militarily may not be enough, and the challenges persist on multiple fronts.