#94: I agree with you: rooting out present day Taliban requires dull boring census taking, which can and should be done. BUT. Afghanistan, as long as it is an association of tribes, will be a power vacuum, useful only as a stage for confrontations among Pakistan, India, Russia and etc etc. The West’s problem is to ensure that anti west forces don’t gain a foothold there, however temporarily. Unlike the Scottish Highlands, Afghanistan is NOT isolated from the day’s Great Powers. And the USA is not the British Empire. Any “solution” can only be temporary.

Perhaps there is the potential for loads of minerals in the Hindu Kush; and perhaps a pipeline linking central Asia to the south will stabilize Afghanistan and bring some kind of indigenous wealth. However. BUT. You still have a tribal society, one that isolates its women in the home and therefore from any real engagement with post-tribal worlds.

The true problem lies with the very parochial ruling class in Washington. An American political type said something to a Canadian: “They (the Iranians, etc) use religion…” The Canadian said, “They don’t USE religion, they ARE religious…”

Also, what is with this sniping at Karzai? He is Afghani and acting like an Afghani. Making him into an enemy is just plain stupid.