The high-profile resignation of a U.S. diplomat has put the White House on the defensive over the war in Afghanistan just as Barack Obama is poised to decide whether to send 40,000 new troops to fight the eight-year conflict.
Matthew Hoh, a 36-year-old former Marine and Iraq war veteran, said he was stepping down as the senior U.S. civilian official in Zabul province, northeast of Kandahar, because he had "lost understanding of, and confidence in, the strategic purposes of the United States' presence."
In a four-page letter to his State Department superiors, he said his experience on the ground in Afghanistan had convinced him the United States is waging a futile effort to "secure and bolster a failing state." Moreover, the very presence of U.S. troops is spurring the Taliban insurgency, just as the Soviet occupation of the country drove the mujahedeen into resistance in the 1980s.
"To put simply: I fail to see the value or the worth in continued U.S. casualties or expenditures of resources in support of the Afghan government in what is, truly, a 35-year-old civil war," Mr. Hoh wrote. "Our forces, devoted and faithful, have been committed to conflict in an indefinite and unplanned manner that has become a cavalier, politically expedient and Pollyannaish misadventure."
Mr. Hoh, who served in military and civilian capacities in Iraq, is thought to be first civilian U.S. official to quit to protest his country's continuing presence in Afghanistan.
In brief remarks to reporters yesterday, he said, "We may be able to stabilize the Afghan government in five to 10 years, but stabilizing the Afghan government will do nothing to defeat al-Qaeda."
His remarks came as U.S. troops endured a second day of violence and bloodshed. Eight U.S. soldiers were killed yesterday in a roadside bomb explosion; another 14 Americans -- including three drug enforcement agents -- died in helicopter crashes on Monday.
In all, 55 U.S. soldiers have died in Afghanistan in October, making it the deadliest month for the United States since the war began. Responding to Mr. Hoh's resignation, Ian Kelly, a State Department spokesman, said he was in Afghanistan on a one-year renewable posting and was not a career diplomat.
"We respect his right to dissent," he said. "Without minimizing the obvious passion and depth of feeling of Mr. Hoh, in terms of his perception of the mission in Afghanistan, I would draw a distinction between his situation and somebody who'd been in the foreign service and had a stake in the foreign service for 20 years or more."
But Mr. Hoh's resignation, submitted on Sept. 10, drew a response from the Obama administration that far outstripped his seniority -- he headed a small team of State Department civilians -- reflecting intense concern within the White House about its impact on the debate over strategy.
In the weeks before the resignation became public, Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, and Richard Holbrooke, Mr. Obama's special envoy to the country, offered Mr. Hoh promotions in a bid to prevent him from quitting.
7 comments:
Mr. Hoh's courage to stand up for what he believes should be greatly respected. He obviously knows what is going on in afghanistan and the worthlessness of the continued "effort 'to secure and bolster the failing state'", since he was a U.S. civilian official and an Iraq war veteran. The fact that one of Obama's special envoys offered Hoh promotions to not resign, means that the white house does not want officials like him and anyone else, to show their outrage or not cooperate.
The recent rise in American deaths should be considered, and I think it is good that Matthew Hoh is bringing the speculative necessity of the war everyone's attention. As someone who has witnessed the goings-on in Afghanistan, Hoh has challenged the current mindset of how the war should be handled. This personal decision should not have been attempted to be dissuaded with money. A promotion is not the only thing people care about; there are lives at stake for something that is seemingly unproductive, and that is what Hoh is trying to portray through his resignation.
Yes!!! Finally someone with a high position that stands up for what he believes in. Mr. Hoh is a rare person to find now a day. He has power and is willing to give that up for what he believes in. I believe that Mr. Hoh is a perfect example of doing whats right. He wasnt afraid to say that the Afgan war is wrong and that the US has lost its strategy there. I cant believe that the white house offered him promotions just to keep him quiet. Bravo for Mr. Hoh
If a 36-year-old vet knows his limitations i think the rest of the troops should also recognize if they are having any effect at all. I mean seriously 55 deaths in one month alone. Many of them aren't even troops some are over to focus on health or other related issues but are still being killed. I believe the head of the armed forces ought to take this letter in to consideration this war has been going on too long all for nothing. It has no purpose.
Mr. Hoh's outlook on the war is true. It's been five to ten years and all we have done is, in his words, "stabilized" the Afghan government. And that's just about it. So far, the government has made absolutely no progress whatsoever in defeating al-Qaeda. Dozens of lives have been lost during this month alone, and that's a clear sign that we're losing. Mr. Hoh has shown that he has the guts to stand up for himself and say that the war is getting out of hand. Mr. Hoh's resignation shows that he has grown to think that these invasions in the Middle East are unnecessary. I agree with Isaac's thoughts; Matthew Hoh IS a rare person to find because he's able to sacrifice his position for what he truly believes. What surprises me is that some officials tried to keep Hoh from quitting by offering to promote him, a move that shows how desperate they've become by trying something that won't really work. So I guess that not only is the war getting worse, but the management of the war is decaying as well.
Mr. Hoh has more or less made an impact on the U.S. government. If this war keeps on going, then maybe more officials will concur with him and decide to do something about it. But only time will tell.
This man should be credited for his courageous actions because not many people especially in a high position as his will step up and bring to peoples attention a serious matter. More people should state their opinons if they are valid and they have some expierence in the area.
i believe that mr. hoh is doing what most troops are afraid to do, stand up for what it is they believe in. its been years and things seem to be getting worse. the fact that obama is planning on sending more troops to do what?? i agree with mr. hoh and have much respect and sympathy for those troops. and also the fact that this is the "deadliest month" by far scares many people into thinking if this is the best idea to send troops over, the thought that there could be more fatalities or even the fact that we are wasting our time doing nothing.
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