Tom I know you are not an idiot, so how can you be so totally partisan to not acknowledge that building roads, bridges, schools, hospitals in the aftermath of our troops isn't a good idea? Bringing in teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers, the "civilian surge" Obama has ordered. The only way to win in Afghanistan is to bring them into the modern world. The vast majority of people in Afghanistan and Pakistan don't want to be ruled by fanatics. They do want basic services though.

It now appears the government of Pakistan is serious about taking on the Taliban. Already a couple Taliban warlords have agreed to give up all of their weapons. There will be a similar civilian surge in Pakistan too, hopefully all the way to waziristan.

This is the strategy the best brains in the world have come up with to win this mess. I wouldn't scoff too loud.