Thoughts & Commentary on the Obama Administration

[Lemur]

I don't see your choices as the only possibilities - ie that we have to choose between a decade plus of occupation or pulling out.

That's not what I asked.

There's no doubt that we can re-make Afghanistan into something resembling a nation-state if we invest heavily in men and money for the next ten to twenty years. Is this something we ought to do? Are there alternative strategies?

• What level of political stability would be sufficient for our counterinsurgency goals?
• If the Karzai government is too corrupt and ineffective, is there a replacement group in Afghanistan or not?
• If not, what can we do about it?
• How long might it take to achieve minimal political stability?
• How long are we prepared to be there, and at what cost?
• What will success look like? (Please be realistic, and don't say "A functioning representative democracy," 'cause that is not happening in the next decade.)