In a column titled “Ambivalent outcome”, Eugene Robinson opines “…while we were able to leave an Iraq that is held together by duct tape and baling wire, it would take monumental effort o- and a lot of luck – to be able to get Afghanistan to that condition. Given the country’s extreme backwardness and corruption, it is inevitable that we will leave behind a mess.”
WATCHDOG: In an otherwise learned column, Robinson fails to mention the major cause for the “backwardness and corruption”: The extreme mountainous terrain dictates local autonomy and makes it impossible for a central authority, even if it had all of the resources of the USA, to police the country.
The Watchdog recalls his indignity at being assigned by his U. S. History professor the task of memorizing the river systems throughout the USA. It took years for him to understand that geography is destiny! Example: If the Susquehanna River had been navigable, Harrisburg and likely Western Pennsylvania would be part of Maryland.
Iraq is level, enabling relative modest force to police a vast countryside. In Afghanistan, thousands of troops can barely control a two mile perimeter. No central power will ever control Afghanistan. There will always be local control with, at best, a loose central confederation stationed in Kabul.
