A Flurry Strategy

In Afghanistan Mr Obama’s arrival has brought a flurry of strategy reviews and a ruthless change of command, to usher in General McChrystal—whose own review will be unveiled later this month. It will re emphasize that the main goal of ISAF and American troops is to protect Afghans, not kill the Taliban among them. Orders to this effect have already gone out.
Air power is to be used only when there is no significant risk of civilian deaths. In a three-week period last month, an American marine battalion, tasked with taking control of Garmser, a Talibanised district of southern Helmand, called in one air strike, to drop a 500-pound bomb. In the same period in July 2007, British troops in Garmser, albeit facing stiffer opposition, called in air strikes that dropped 12,000-pounds of bombs on the district. On the wall of the marines’ base in Garmser, a note reads: “You have to look at these people as if they want to kill you, but you can’t treat them that way.”