1) One problem the US/NATO forces face in Afghanistan is the relatively unknown enemy. They are fighting against a massive group of extremists who believe that it is their purpose to die for a "cause", meaning they will willingly sacrifice their life because they feel it will bring them good after they die. The Taliban does not have a uniform, or a specific base. They blend in with civilians, making it challenging for the US to target them. Also, they convince the Afghan people that to join them is to do the right thing for religious purposes. Thus, posing one of the most difficult issues the US has to deal with--how can you defeat someone who thinks they are going to heaven for what they're doing?
2) Another issue faced is the inadequate amount of troops and resources. Due to the lack of troops currently in Afghanistan, the US cannot fulfill the goal that they have--to end the corruption the Taliban is causing in the country. The troops have no choice but to operate from small, isolated bases with little air support because of lack of resources. This makes it really difficult to manage larger areas, especially in the mountainous region of Afghanistan.
3) Another major problem: the limitations of the US army. Since they are not permitted to cross the border into Pakistan, they are incapable of going after the Taliban under the circumstances that they run over the border. This is a huge issue, because if the American forces do anything to scare the Taliban, their first reaction will be to flee to Pakistan, regroup, retaliate, and the American troops will not be capable of following.
4) The last problem is corruption in the Afghanistan government. Due to the initial flaws in Afghanistan's government, it would be challenging to convince the people of the country to give the government the support it needs. The American forces have no way of ensuring a stable government once they leave, thus causing them to stay even longer.
Obamas Plan
1) The basics of Obamas plans concerning Afghanistan are as follows: 30-35,000 additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan as rapidly as possible--beginning shortly after Christmas. Upon arrival, those troops will be targeting insurgencies and securing key population centers. They will begin to withdraw the troops after 18 months (around June 2011). The main goal for the troops is to train the Afghans to have a secure army in themselves, and have the ability to defend themselves against the Taliban. This is so that the American forces can leave without the concern that the country will fall apart. There is also going to be an increasing amount of pressure on Pakistan to handle not only the al-Quaida but the Taliban threatening their country.
2) In my opinion, this is the best plan that could've possibly been laid out considering the circumstances. My only concern is that this is not a war that can ever really be won, and could potentially go on for quite some time because of the state Afghanistan is in--multiple aspects of it. However, I think it was good that Obama did not simply pull the troops out now, because that would likely have led to the rapid downfall of Afghanistan. I also think it was good that Obama made it clear that we needed to transfer the control of Afghanistan to the Afghanistan government. As he said, "We will continue to advise and assist Afghanistan's security forces to ensure that they can succeed over the long haul. But it will be clear to the Afghan government and, more importantly, to the Afghan people that they will ultimately be responsible for their own country."
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