[USNBandit]

The tribal issue is a problem, but the taliban is a single enemy. The biggest problem we face is that the Taliban are freely operating out of a neighboring country that we have to ship supplies through. The intelligence service in Pakistan is totally in bed with the Taliban, as well.

There is a huge downside if we quit in Afghanistan. We will leave the country in the same shape it was before, in a state of civil war. The Taliban will continue to host terrorist training camps. The Pakistani government will continue to allow travel in and out of Afghanistan of terrorists.

We are going to have to fight this war. The question is whether we fight it in Afghanistan or on the streets the Western World.

[swarthyguy]

The key to Afghanistan has always been, since Spring 2002, the safe sanctuaries in Pakistan, whose army, elites, politicians and jihadis been absolutely Machiavellian in their dealings with America.

I don’t think we have the will in the country for the effort required.

The domestic timetable of next year’s elections may be driving this more than anything else, with many Democrats wanting to bug out. Obama may well have to depend on the Republicans for any further Afghani effort.

Don’t think he will. Let’s see.

We’ll end up back there anyway in a few years.

In the meantime, the region seems to be preparing for a power vacuum in Afghanistan.....there’s an article posted (search keyword india).....

[oneolcop]

The American people are beginning to see that this is the wrong place to "win hearts and minds". While we will have to fight "this war" (against fundamentalist islam -yes, this is a religious war) we don't have to fight it on their terms and on their turf.

As Little Ray said, we could pay an Afghan tribe to do our "dirty work" for us. It would be a lot cheaper than the way we're doing it right now, both in blood and money.