Public Misled on Afghan War: Washington Post

The war in Afghanistan has been underway since 2001, and confidential documents suggest that US officials hid evidence that the longest war in US history was unwinnable, reports Craig Whitlock for the Washington Post. Those documents entitled "Lessons Learned" were obtained after a three-year legal battle and include assessments from generals, diplomats, aid workers and Afghan officials, 428 in all, 95 of whom are named. “With a bluntness rarely expressed in public, the interviews lay bare pent-up complaints, frustrations and confessions, along with second-guessing and backbiting,” Whitlock writes. “The interviews also highlight the U.S. government’s botched attempts to curtail runaway corruption, build a competent Afghan army and police force, and put a dent in Afghanistan’s thriving opium trade.” Three US presidents with varying approaches presided over the war without success. The US State Department suggests that the document release could jeopardize peace talks with the Taliban. The war in Afghanistan has cost more than $2.5 trillion in all costs, with loss of life and injuries numbering in tens of thousands. – YaleGlobal