When the bill comes due...

ARTICLE: Civilian, Military Officials at Odds Over Resources Needed for Afghan Mission, By Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Washington Post, October 8, 2009

The key phrase here: "a case of sticker shock."

When it was just about saying you were for counterinsurgency, there was no disagreement back in March, when the Af-Pak review allegedly came to a clear conclusion.

But as the resourcing reality became apparent, the backtracking began . . .

Comments

[rkka]

Since war is not a senseless act of passion, but is controlled by the political object, the value of that object must determine the sacrifices to be made for it, both in magnitude and also in duration.

What assurance does anyone have that another 40K for, say, five years, will make the nut?

[Mark]

From the Grand Master, R. A. Heinlein, as written inStarship Troopers...a bit lengthy for posting perhaps, but makes the case and explains why it (war) costs so much and the need for a grand strategy.

"War is not violence and killing, pure and simple; war is controlled violence, for a purpose. The purpose of war is to support your government's decisions by force. The purpose is never to kill the enemy just to be killing him...but to make him do what you want to do. Not killing...but controlled and purposeful violence. But it's not your business or mine to decide the purpose of the control. It's never a soldier's business to decide when or where or how—or why—he fights; that belongs to the statesmen and the generals."