[tanuki]

I think this is eminently doable. The tribes, however, have to have assurance of something more important that money. They have to know that, unlike Vietnam, we have the political will to commit to Afghanistan in the long term and not simply abandon them after we declare victory and leave. Without that, all the money in the world will not be enough to win long-term loyalty.

[arthurus]

we have the political will to commit to Afghanistan in the long term

The exzmples they hae are not encouraging.

[nathanbedford]

A very good point. The tribes in Afghanistan are not motivated by money anymore than they are motivated by Christianity. If they were motivated by money we would long ago have the head of Osama bin Laden delivered on a charger in exchange for the huge reward. But the reward is not enough to overcome the culture.

Money can buy temporary compliance but not fundamental loyalty. The former might be enough if the timing is right, or it might be enough if tribal compliance could be made to evolve into something approaching loyalty. Tribalism is fundamentally at odds every Western ideal that an enlightened administration would want to impose on Afghanistan. I frankly do not know what a Marxist administration or the would want to do about exploiting, curbing, or even encouraging tribalism in Afghanistan.

Consider the tribalism of the Plains Indians at the time of Sitting Bull and Custer. The cultural intimacy of the tribe has extraordinary pull on the individual and it is not easily surrendered for the plastic salvation of Western civilization. Or better yet, consider the Crips and Bloods.

[haroldeveryman]

“I think this is eminently doable.”

It worked against the Russian occupation in the 1980’s, and the help air and artillery support, U.S armed Uzbek tribesmen chased the Taliban into Kabul and back out the other side in 2001-2002.

Why not keep doing what has worked before instead of trying to imitate the ill-fated Russian army?

“They have to know that, unlike Vietnam, we have the political will to commit to Afghanistan in the long term”

The treachery of our Dem Congress in pulling the rug out from under the South Vietnamese in the 70’s has been Al Qaida’s and the Taliban’s best recruiting theme. The Democrats motive was to divert military and space program tax money to fund their new welfare state. I hope this isn’t deja vu all over again.