Afghanistan

[sexobon]

Does it matter? Does anyone really believe that Taliban leaders' negotiations would be anything other than delaying tactics for circumventing hostilities to conserve firepower with which take over again after US withdrawal? President Karzai's pathetic government wouldn't be competent enough to prevent a takeover a decade from now let alone by the 2014 commencement of US downsizing there. The US - Karzai alliance has to capture the hearts and minds of Taliban followers. If the alliance deals with the Taliban leadership, it gives that leadership legitimacy to bind their followers to anyone they choose ... including Al Qaeda. Trying to wean Taliban followers from its leadership after that is a fool's errand and commits us to perpetually buying their passiveness. McCrystal understood that the current US administration's policy (it's cheaper and politically expedient to dance with the devil) made him an impotent flunky for short term gain. He rejected it. Petraeus understands this too; however, Betrayus has ambitions that make him willing to accept the role. He knows he'll be retired before the ramifications come back to haunt us, a lesson he learned from GWB.