Be a good Democrat, read David Brooks, learn fascinating things that are wrong, get your war on.

[laststeamtrain]

"This is fundamental to the defense of our people.”

The Afghan Imperative
By DAVID BROOKS

<snip>

Amidst all the problems, the NATO coalition has a few things going for it. First, American forces have become quite good at counterinsurgency. They have a battle-tested strategy, experienced troops and a superb new leadership team. According to the political scientists Andrew J. Enterline and Joseph Magagnoli, since World War II, counterinsurgency efforts that put population protection at their core have succeeded nearly 70 percent of the time.

Second, the enemy is wildly hated. Only 6 percent of Afghans want a Taliban return, while NATO is viewed with surprising favor. This is not Vietnam or even Iraq.

Third, while many Afghan institutions are now dysfunctional, there is a base on which to build. The Afghan Army is a successful institution. Local villages have their own centuries-old civic institutions. The National Solidarity Program was able to build development councils in 23,000 villages precisely because the remnants of civil society still exist.

We have tried to fight the Afghan war the easy way, and it hasn’t worked. Switching now to the McChrystal strategy is a difficult choice, and President Obama is right to take his time. But Obama was also right a few months ago when he declared, “This will not be quick, nor easy. But we must never forget: This is not a war of choice. This is a war of necessity. ... This is fundamental to the defense of our people.”

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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/opinion/25brooks.html
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I'm feeling light-headed. Did someone put something in my drink?

[jaysunb]

1. Ok ,Mr Brooks

if this is correct:

To put it concretely, this is a doctrine in which small groups of American men and women are outside the wire in dangerous places in remote valleys, providing security, gathering intelligence, helping to establish courts and building schools and roads.

Then, it seems to me, that instead of 40,000 fighters, we need the Corp of Engineers. :shrug:

But, my bigger question is, where have you been the last 8 years ? :evilfrown: