According to reports, early in 2008, the Atlantic Council released a report over the signature of its chairman, retired U. S. Marine Gen. James L. Jones that began, "Make no mistake: NATO is not winning in Afghanistan."

It has been reported that after a firestorm of protest from Brussels, the word "NATO" was changed to "the international community." Legend has it that the report was read by U. S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and put the general in contention for his current job, which is national security adviser in the administration of President Barack Obama.

"Make no mistake: we are losing in Afghanistan," the report indicated.

The reasons have less to do with the current counterinsurgency campaign designed by U. S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal and all to do with the overarching Obama strategy produced last year. Those flaws are profound and so potentially fatal that unless rectified, the chances of a George Washington, Dwight Eisenhower or even David Petraeus succeeding aren't good.

The so-called AfPak strategy is backward. It should be called PakAf as Pakistan is the strategic center of gravity, not Afghanistan. Yet, virtually all of our energy and resources are going into Afghanistan.

It has further been reported that the aim of the original strategy was to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida and prevent its return. Yet, there are perhaps only a handful of al-Qaida militants in Afghanistan. The rest have relocated to Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and other ports of call. (With inputs from Agencies)