[alfromcolorado]

What we are doing in Afghanistan is a good thing. I think some of the policies are a bit misguided. Specifically the DOS perspective.

You cannot build a house from the roof down. Thinking that one can build a country starting in Kabul, especially in a country like Afghanistan is naive at best and god damn stupid at worst. Engagement at the local level, security at the local level, is what these people understand. Something along the model of the CIDG or CAP programs in Vietnam. Then help them with what they need. (This does NOT include girl's schools.) Like any house, Afghanistan needs to be built from the foundation UP. DOS has to quit thinking they can make little Americas out of places that DON'T WANT to be Americas.

We also need to get troops out of the mindset that if one is an Afghani they must be the enemy. Making insurgents is counter productive.

If we act like the enemy, smell like the enemy... Well, we are ducks.

If we work with them, fight with them and live with them... Take a stake in their security instead of heading back to the FOB, we might just screw this goat. They respect that.

Hopefully we haven't lost that ability in our "whack them all" crazed world.

I honestly don't believe that the people of Afghanistan want the Taliban to return to power. We should, LOCALLY, help them to think they are safe from the Taliban and that we sincerely respect them and their society and are there to help them. Locally, the SF way...

Not the idiotic DOS way.