NR: "You're not going to
win the war in Afghanistan IN Afghanistan; you have to
win it in Pakistan."
Friday, July 10, 2009
Length: 3:47
LARGE (43.9 MB)
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SMALL (4.6 MB)
Michael talks to Ali Velshi about the realities
of trying to stop the Taliban in Afghanistan when
they can just drift across the border into
Pakistan, where US/NATO troops cannot follow. He
also explains how important India is to the war in
Afghanistan.
ALI
VELSHI: Winning the war in Afghanistan could mean
taking the war out of Afghanistan. What am I talking
about? Our Michael Ware just got back from the
Afghan-Pakistani border, getting rare access and
plenty of insight. He joins us now from Baghdad,
where he's based. Michael, you say the U.S. cannot
win the war in Afghanistan alone. What are you
talking about?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, militarily the
war cannot be won with bombs and bullets alone.
Obviously, it's going to require much more than that.
You're not just going to kill the Taliban away. And
that's eminently recognized by all U.S. commanders
and is inherent within the new American
counterinsurgency document -- doctrine.
Much more important than that, Ali, you're not going
to win the war in Afghanistan in Afghanistan. You
have to win it in Pakistan, because it's in Pakistan
that the Afghan Taliban have sanctuary. It's in those
mountain valleys from where I've just returned that
the Afghan Taliban can live and train and from where
they launch their military strikes against the nearby
U.S. forces just over the mountain border. Now, to
get to them where they're living, U.S. forces cannot
operate on Pakistani soil. And for now, the Pakistani
military establishment sees a benefit in tolerating
their presence. So, you need the Pakistani military
to get on board. President Bush waited for this
almost for his entire administration, but there's a
new development, a potential breakthrough.
The Pakistan army's official spokesman went on camera
with me and acknowledged for the first time ever
publicly that, yes, the Pakistan military is talking
to Mullah Omar, the leader of the Taliban, and the
other top commanders. More importantly, he said, we
can deliver them to the negotiating table, and in
return, they want concessions on India's involvement
in Afghanistan.
Because Ali, what so many people back home don't
realize is that whilst for America the war in Iraq is
about -- in Iran -- in -- sorry. In Afghanistan. The
war in Afghanistan is for America about the Taliban
and al Qaeda. But for many in the region, it's really
about Pakistan and india competing for influence --
Ali.
VELSHI: And Michael, when you talk to the Pakistanis,
it's very interesting how they take a very different
view. They have a view that they will manage the
Taliban. They will manage that border, that porous
area that you've discussed. But when India comes up
as part of the discussion, they tense up a great
deal. As far as they are concerned, that is the
enemy, and that is the problem.
WARE: Absolutely. I mean, that's what America needs
to understand. And I think the American national
discussion or debate about the Afghan war needs to
shift and focus on this. The Afghan war is much more
about India than anyone realizes. The Taliban are the
ones fighting the war. It's Pakistan, by simply doing
nothing, who is facilitating that.
Pakistan does that because it sees in Kabul, the
capital of Afghanistan, an Afghan government that is
very closely tied to India. And the Pakistanis feel
that India is in Afghanistan playing games with
Pakistan. So, America needs to start addressing this
if you want to have any hope of bringing your troops
home soon -- Ali.
VELSHI: Very important point, Michael, that you will
continue to make. But it's one that is important for
our audience to hear. Thanks so much. Michael Ware in
Baghdad.