Is NATO winning in Afghanistan?

[EmperorBatman999]

It seems with all the casualty reports streaming on the news every week or two and all this, "12 NATO troops were killed by an IED in the <whatever> province" makes it seems like the war is going bad or there is a stalemate. What is the truth? Are the media companies just being defeatist? I understand we killed 5 times more guerillas than they've killed us but not always do casualties numbers determine the guy who's winning.

Who's winning this war?

[Captain Jin]

Wars like this are pretty hard to just determine who is winning or losing. With no determine front line, no clear enemy, no decisive definition of victory etc. There are some arenas where we are winning, and others where we are losing. Such is the complexity of a counter-insurgency.

[Vanoi]

you can't say either side is winning, when both sides are getting no where.

[Atatürk]

No, they're going to lose.

Though the real losers here are the Afghan people.

[Captain Jin]

No, they're going to lose.

Though the real losers here are the Afghan people.

Uh, yeah thanks for the insight.

[mrmouth]

Taliban on verge of collapse, NATO and Afghan officials believe

[Yorkshireman]

Taliban on verge of collapse, NATO and Afghan officials believe

A good article but I think one of the most telling points was left until the last paragraph.

However, though militarily confident, Western officials in the south still caution that a failure in Afghan governance could fracture their extensive gains by failing to reconcile Taliban fighters in a peace process.

Successful Afghan governance being the key point on which the whole stability of the region relies on.

[Heavy Weapons Guy]

Allies will lose.

[Tiberios]

Allies will lose.

And why is that?

[Imperial]

First you have to define what is winning.

[EmperorBatman999]

As in, the Taliban fighters have little will to fight anymore and the Afghan people are begining to not want to join the Taliban.

[charles the hammer]

As in, the Taliban fighters have little will to fight anymore and the Afghan people are begin not wanting to join the Taliban.

Well the taliban are trying to set up negotiations for peace, if I remember correctly, so that means we are winning to a degree.

[Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh]

Wow. Relying that Australian article is correct - and it is the most reputable newspaper in this country, so I think it might be - then this is a result that I never anticipated. It will be one of the few victorious responses to counter-insurgency in the history 20th/21st century insurgency.

But I perhaps am slightly misled. If the Taliban is willing for peace, does that mean Al Quaeda are also willing? Or is Al Quaeda separate to the taliban?

[Atatürk]

Or is Al Quaeda separate to the taliban?

Seperate.

[Chukada1]

The new Afghan government will win: the only victor.

[Gerald The Herald]

The new Afghan government will win: the only victor.

And the arms suppliers.

[Marcus Publius]

And the arms suppliers.

Indeed they always win.

[Babur]

The new Afghan government will win: the only victor.

what about PMCs?

[mrmouth]

Wow. Relying that Australian article is correct - and it is the most reputable newspaper in this country, so I think it might be - then this is a result that I never anticipated. It will be one of the few victorious responses to counter-insurgency in the history 20th/21st century insurgency.

Like I said, ISAF doesn't go out of there way to pat their own collective back. To be fair though, while the Afghan Taliban have taken serious loses all over, this article is essentially highlighting the South. However that is also the hear of the Taliban, and the lose that, and they are not much more than a snake with its head removed. Still dangerous, but the writing is on the wall.

The North, and the East especially, will likely be the festering sore of Afghanistan, for as long as the Taliban has the will to die. One of those places that you never truly can pacify, but can contain well.

This shouldn't come as a shock to anyone who goes to any length to follow events in A-stan. The Taliban have lost necessary supply routes and sanctuaries. And they lose 90% of their ability to rearm in any significant manner once they are forced out of Kandahar.

[Boyar Son]

Is NATO winning in Afghanistan?

Yes. Anyone who disagrees is biased.