Strategic Panorama 2009 - 2010 - IEEE

José María Robles Fraga
coalition allies, naturally including the European Union and the rest of the
international community. It has taken President Obama a long time to
decide what course to follow in view of the strategic and tactical review
carried out by his team from the moment he arrived in the White House. A
new strategy for combating the insurgency was finally announced, along
with a major increase in the number of American soldiers deployed to the
field in both combat missions and missions to train the Afghan army.
The Obama Plan proposes increasing the number of troops in
Afghanistan, including more US and also European troops, and a turnaround
in the manner of acting, the rules of combat with the enemy and the
relationship with the Afghan population. The coming months will see an
intense effort in civilian and military human and material resources on the
part of the US, which will strengthen the US’s lead and responsibility in
this international operation. Barack Obama’s presidency and an important
part of his country’s leadership could be at stake in this complex decision,
which leaves little room for error and includes a regional strategy that will
reinforce Pakistan’s role in solving this serious crisis.
On it hinge victory in the most important battle against global terrorism,
the credibility of NATO and the peace of a highly dangerous area.
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