Rory Stewart: Time to end the war in Afghanistan

http://www.ted.com British MP Rory Stewart walked across Afghanistan after 9/11, talking with citizens and warlords alike. Now, a decade later, he asks: Why are Western and coalition forces still fighting there? He shares lessons from past military interventions that worked -- Bosnia, for instance -- and shows that humility and local expertise are the keys to success.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• TED
• TEDTalks
• TEDGlobal
• Rory Stewart
• Foreign Policy
• Global Issues
• Military
• Peace
• Politics
• War
• Afghanistan
• 9/11
• Bosnia
• Insurgency

[dxvxvx]

i don't think so, there's a lot of if i'm this and if i'm that....

What about what if the wars are for oil and we are enslaved by the interest-based banking system and what if the people demand a banking system where profits are returned to the rightful owners..........WHAT IF?

[ChewbacaChunx]

Did he just call a 50 caliber m3m a "submachine gun"?

[jamesrobtonyadams]

@ChewbacaChunx ironic, considering he used to be an officer in the infantry...

[Nick300wm]

It's a heavy machine gun!

[LanitaTareneb506]

also wer is deutsch

[wehrvenus]

@ChewbacaChunx HES AN INTELLECTUAL NOT A MILITARY MAN - ITS A FUCKING GUN DUDE CALM DOWN

[Trisscarro]

@dxvxvx Afghanistan doesn't hold oil, in fact the reason why this war still wages on and still hasn't had any success is shitty politics.

soldiers are basically sent there handcuffed, they may rarely open/return fire. no they must win the locals' trust by doing good things, except the thing that matters most which is fighting the insurgence.

this is due to a "compromise" between going there clearing out the Taliban full force and rebuild after, and a full retreat.

[junaidnoorim]

I think it's hilarious that everyone's bad-mouthing this guy without knowing anything about him. Typical Youtube commentators. Have no life of their own but feel the need to criticize others.

[junaidnoorim]

@ChewbacaChunx He didn't play Counter-Strike like you.

[RonnieJamesable]

@ChewbacaChunx he's an ex army officer, too. tragically.