Finally al Qaida is not the hated interlopers they were considered in Anbar Province, Iraq. Al Qaida and the Taliban are viewed by most Afghans the same way Texans viewed (and still view those rustic characters who fought to the death at the Alamo against Mexican invaders and would-be occupiers.
But one thing I am quite sure of; there's at least one similarity between Sunni insurgents in Iraq and Talibaners in Afghanistan – both are always happy to accept free guns and free money from Uncle Stupid.
I feel better getting all that off my chest. I still have no idea what the right course of action would be in Afghanistan. I mean, now it's sort of like Bush was a doctor who blew an antibiotic treatment. He could have knocked out the infection with persistence of care. But he wasted that moment of opportunity by stopping too soon so he could tend to “another matter.” As a result all he accomplished was to breed a whole generation of antibiotic resistant Talibania-horrendous.
So far the only part I like about this plan is the leaving part.
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