[jbour13]

My .02 FWIW

Emboldened muslim extremists use it as a tool to show young recruit base that the war against the infidels is a success. "We've ejected the Infidels from the Fertile Crescent, we are victorious!!!"

Madrassas become bigger business and attract a broader demogragphic to include women (already see an anomoly in AFG with this).

Arabs are Arabs and will stay on the IZ warfront and expand their base of power to meet their bigger goal of influencing their extremist version of the caliphate to take Israel.

Something to the affect of mobile trainers become more common and share their tales of "Glorious Jihad". This is good for recruitment, everyone wants to be a good Muslim. What better time than now. High payoff vs. threat.

Afghanistan would receive more US Troops, but will still be under the auspices of NATO (Need Alcohol To Operate due to the large Euro contingent) and ISAF (also regarded as I Suck At Fighting). Political barriers would still provide the same problems in gaining approvals to kill (what we do best).

That is to say that the AFG Gov't even lets us expand our troop levels without losing popularity among moderate Islamists who'd point out that were are indeed still infidels and the AFG Gov't is in bed with us.

Iran, go figure how much more they stand to learn if one battlefield shuts down. We know very little about them, they know way too much about us. This is gonna hurt us for a long time to come.

Hmmm, we go from guerilla conflict to more recognizable military structure (War of Movement). They would maintain the guerilla cells to keep a flexible force on hand, but would definately gain more popularity with a military force. The jihadists have been looking for broad acceptance in the mass public. Use of a successful Jihad in IZ pushes this and people may second guess their initial thoughts and support for the US. Fight for identity is now a mute point, fight for acceptance is coming to fruition, and fight for Pashtunistan (primary area they'd fight first, my belief) would become the new Jihad warfront.

Gents, I could talk for hours (and have). This could go good or bad depending on one key component:

Political acceptance here and abroad. Without the Dems accepting expansion, the world Politicians being in agreement, and the AFG government, nothing would fall into place for a success.