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OK, but getting back to the OP (ahem), what do we do with Afghanistan if we pull out of Iraq? Will that free al Qaeda elements in Iraq to refocus their energies on Afghanistan? Do we maintain our presence in Afghanistan indefinitely? Will the American people accept that if it results in the same sort of continuing casualties we’ve seen in Iraq? At what point could we say “Our work here is done,” and leave Afghanistan?
Frankly, it looks to me like a neverending occupation in the making. I can’t imagine a time when we would feel comfortable leaving Afghanistan (and thus taking the pressure off of the Taliban and Pakistan).
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Don’t confuse Pakistan with Pakistan (sic)
The borders have always been a problem, we British (well our ancestors) found a rather smart way of containing the problem. The borders are controlled by crack regiments raised from locals - they are the local war lords, but they have been there 150 years - and they can pull in muscle. Put crudely, I’ll not snipe my uncle’s second cousin - but if he snipes at me then I know that Karachi (sic) will bring in some b/stards from 200 miles away - and they’ll wipe out my extended family.
I know that if someone snipes at me, then they are dead, and it will be their ‘best friend’ that removes their balls - many days before they die.
South Afghanistan is great, it is a live fire training ground for our troops, a killing ground for misguided young fools who the proper Pakistanis shove through (as the Syrians ship nutters into Iraq).
Apart from opium, and some decent dope, the place contributes nothing. Both of those products could be, well are, grown elsewhere, unlike Iraq the place is useless - but it makes a good training ground and a vacuum for nutters.
Afghanistan is a nice little war.