Mistakes Are No Option in Afghanistan

Twice in the last quarter-century the United States has squandered great victories achieved in Afghanistan by failing to follow up battlefield success with an enduring and resourced commitment to helping to build a stable government there. Both times the cost of taking our eye of the ball in Afghanistan had been high. It is imperative not to make the same mistake a third time or the cost will again be painful, and we probably won't get a fourth opportunity.

In the late 1980s, US-supported Afghan mujahideen defeated the Soviet Union. The mujahideen were badly divided, however, and quickly fell into civil war. The US could have led an international effort to restore order and rallied key players like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to try to end the conflict. Instead, Afghanistan received little attention from the White House or Congress. By the late 1990s, the Taliban had taken power and were hosting the even more radical Al-Qaeda group.