Ammended

I need to stop blogging late at night and in bed and stuff. Actually, I need to start blogging more, but less in a diminished mental state, i.e. sleep deprived and such.

Anyway, the whole purpose of my second point from the "Frustrated" post was meant to be that the only way we have even the slimmest shot at what could be considered even menial success in Afghanistan is with the support of the locals. That will never, ever, ever be won by using harsher tactics. Even now when we, at least ostensibly, care about limiting collateral casualties, we still generally fail colosally, and even when we do not, we do not really have the whole public relations campaign working for us over there, and suspicion and misinformation regarding U.S. intentions and the results of various operations abound.

We need the people on our side. Let me rephrase. We need more of the people on our side. We need much more support from the ethnic Pashtuns. Harsher tactics will not garner that support.

Another sort of sub-point I would like to add to this is Afghanistan will never be Germany. Without public support (Afghan and American), it will not even be Bosnia or Kosovo. Without significant participation from the locals, and without some pretty significant changes in attitude, as well as the general socio-economic structure of the country, it will be impossible to see the U.S. maintain a longterm presence (ala Korea and Germany), in Afghanistan, because it will be way too costly.

At any rate. More ramblings of a fool.

Whatever happens, it will take a lot of work for us to accomplish anything significant over there. It will take a lot of patience, and all the boys and girls who are over there serving the cause must be on their absolutely best behavior.

Peace.

Joe