<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[The Dish]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[http://dish.andrewsullivan.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[Andrew Sullivan]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://dish.andrewsullivan.com/author/sullydish/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Debating 25 Tons Of Explosives,&nbsp;Ctd]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[
<p><a href=""><img alt="AfghanBombing" src="https://sullydish.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/6a00d83451c45669e20147e1c78de9970b-550wi.png" title="AfghanBombing" /></a></p>
<p>Joshua Foust <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/01/how-short-term-thinking-is-causing-long-term-failure-in-afghanistan/70048/" target="_self">puts</a> the bombing of <a href="http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2011/01/debating-25-tons-of-explosives-ctd.html" target="_self">Tarok Kolache</a> in context:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The pressure to achieve  &quot;progress&quot; on an artificially short time frame has guided the U.S.  military to make regrettable choices across much of Afghanistan. The  destruction and reconstruction of Tarok Kolache is only one example, if  an especially sharp one. That pressure comes in part from the same  political forces that led to the July 2011 drawdown date, and now the  2014 one. It also comes from officers&#39; desire to show progress over a  year-long tour of duty. You can hardly blame individual officers and  politicians for the high-pressure environment driving their  decision-making. In fact, some of these pressures, especially the desire  to exceed expectations and accomplish great things, can be very  beneficial. But each affects command decisions in unexpected ways, and  when combined often undermine the ultimate strategic goals of the war.</p>
</blockquote>
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