I'm really wondering if the Taliban are really that much of a problem to anyone. As I recall, the Northern Alliance was already kicking their butt pretty regular when we first showed up right after 9/11. And we've been making their life pretty miserable for the last decade or so. Most of the military resistance we've run into in Afghanistan are new enemies we've made along the way, and people set up and supplied by the Paki intelligence service.

We're not in Afghanistan to finish off the Taliban OR Al-Quaeda, and Al-Quaeda is in even worse shape than the Taliban. We're there because we'd lose face if the puppet gov we've set up were to cave in after we left. I say we leave and let them implode. Afghanistan will go back to a tribal patchwork as soon as we're gone.

But as long as the palefaces are there, the local kids will be trying to kick us out, no matter how many we kill, and the Pakis and Iranians will be supplying and arming them.