Progress In Afghanistan (Content Not Satirical)

Here we go again. Admiral Mike Mullen, the Joint Chiefs chairman visited U.S. outposts along Afghanistan's eastern border on Sunday and said U.S. troops are 'making progress' in their renewed campaign against Haqqani network insurgents in havens in Pakistan. And he issued another warning that Islamabad must step up its efforts to root out those militants. That would be the same group and faction of militants which Mullen and his associates have been failing to 'root out' of Afghanistan for the last eleven years. He might also have picked a better 48-hour window for his pious platitudes (and visit for that matter) than one in which twelve Afghans, including one child, died in a suicide bombing in the south on Sunday, and five NATO service members lost their lives in separate incidents. Four policemen were also killed in the most recent NATO cocked-up attack yesterday.The first six months of this year have seen more security incidents and an increase in civilian casualties, according to a UN report (see earlier post). Nevertheless, speaking to reporters travelling with him in Afghanistan, Mullen said Marine Gen. John Allen, who has just taken over as top U.S. commander here, needs 'time to evaluate' the combat, training and other requirements before presenting a detailed withdrawal plan. Like eleven years hasn't been enough time.