http://afghaniblog.livejournal.com/68715.html

When Helmand villagers see soldiers from countries thousands of miles away carrying guns and claiming to be only building schools, they don’t believe them.

I have noticed that many Afghans now simply assume we are engaged in a grand conspiracy. Nothing else in their minds can explain the surreal gap between our language and performance.

Many of the people we are fighting have no fixed political manifesto. Almost none have links to Al Qaeda or an interest in attacking U.S. soil.

Afghans are bored with foreign consultants and conferences and are saying, “Bring back the Russians: At least they built dams and roads.”

In Kabul, the garbage is still 7 feet deep and buildings are collapsing

KEY POINTS
1) We should remember that we came first to protect ourselves against terrorist attack.
2) Not to lose the support of the disillusioned population in the central & western areas
3) Think more clearly about how to improve Afghan lives through development projects.

Dutch forces in the province of Uruzgan have found that, when left alone, the Taliban alienate communities by living parasitically, lecturing puritanically and failing to deliver.

My experience in Afghanistan has led me to believe that the original strategy of limiting our role was correct.

http://afghaniblog.livejournal.com/68715.html

When Helmand villagers see soldiers from countries thousands of miles away carrying guns and claiming to be only building schools, they don’t believe them.

I have noticed that many Afghans now simply assume we are engaged in a grand conspiracy. Nothing else in their minds can explain the surreal gap between our language and performance.

Many of the people we are fighting have no fixed political manifesto. Almost none have links to Al Qaeda or an interest in attacking U.S. soil.

Afghans are bored with foreign consultants and conferences and are saying, “Bring back the Russians: At least they built dams and roads.”

In Kabul, the garbage is still 7 feet deep and buildings are collapsing

KEY POINTS
1) We should remember that we came first to protect ourselves against terrorist attack.
2) Not to lose the support of the disillusioned population in the central & western areas
3) Think more clearly about how to improve Afghan lives through development projects.

Dutch forces in the province of Uruzgan have found that, when left alone, the Taliban alienate communities by living parasitically, lecturing puritanically and failing to deliver.

My experience in Afghanistan has led me to believe that the original strategy of limiting our role was correct.