I Know My Brother-In-Law Is Going To Take Issue...
...But I think I should get this off my chest.
I don't necessarily see how "peace" can make things better in Afganistan.
First, I doubt anybody on our side really knows what the Afgans who are against us our fighting for. We know what Al-Qaida is about. We know what the Taliban is about. But we don't know what the populace at large is about. Without that, we can't have a basis for negotiation.
Second, there is nothing positive about the prospect of the Taliban being given international recognition as a legitimate state. That would have to happen for an armistice to be possible. We would doom thousands, if not millions, of people to a fate of existance in a nation where they would not be allowed even basic human rights and civil liberties. Besides, would the Taliban even hold up their end of a bargain made with "infidels"? They've broken truces before.
Third, I'm sure that even if the United States and NATO withdrew all forces on their own, some situation of conflict would continue there. And we'd have to go back in.
I agree that Afganistan as it stands is a no-win situation. But I don't see any alternative that is a no-lose option.
I don't necessarily see how "peace" can make things better in Afganistan.
First, I doubt anybody on our side really knows what the Afgans who are against us our fighting for. We know what Al-Qaida is about. We know what the Taliban is about. But we don't know what the populace at large is about. Without that, we can't have a basis for negotiation.
Second, there is nothing positive about the prospect of the Taliban being given international recognition as a legitimate state. That would have to happen for an armistice to be possible. We would doom thousands, if not millions, of people to a fate of existance in a nation where they would not be allowed even basic human rights and civil liberties. Besides, would the Taliban even hold up their end of a bargain made with "infidels"? They've broken truces before.
Third, I'm sure that even if the United States and NATO withdrew all forces on their own, some situation of conflict would continue there. And we'd have to go back in.
I agree that Afganistan as it stands is a no-win situation. But I don't see any alternative that is a no-lose option.