This essay is published on the China Daily:
Earlier this month, US and allied troops launched a fresh offensive in south Afghanistan as part of a new strategy worked out by US President Barack Obama.
It is the largest and boldest US military action in Afghanistan after Obama unveiled his new strategy in March. The first fierce assault was made on the Taliban-controlled Helmand province, where the UK troops used to be in charge of security. Earlier in the week, fighting took a heavy toll on British troops.
As Afghanistan’s neighbor, China has suffered a lot because of the turbulence in that country. Evidence shows Uygur separatists who orchestrated the July 5 riots in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, have close relations with the Afghanistan-based Al-Qaida. Hence, the sooner peace and order return to Afghanistan the better it will be for China.
But it would be a mistake to think military initiative alone can win the day in Afghanistan. Since ancient times, war has been used as a means to realize political goals, said Sun Tzu, ancient Chinese military strategist and author of the still popular The Art of War. Carl von Clausewitz, German military historian and theorist, agrees. On this premise, a military action in Afghanistan would be meaningless if it is not accompanied by a viable political package.