MG Flynn (on intell mainly)

[Dayuhan]

We are there until we are not---absent a substantive change in conditions.

I suppose the next question is whether we have the capacity to force any substantive change in conditions, or at least any substantive change that would be consistent with the interests that put us there in the first place.

[wm]

I suppose the next question is whether we have the capacity to force any substantive change in conditions, or at least any substantive change that would be consistent with the interests that put us there in the first place.

The above quotation exposes the Catch-22 of the situation. If we (meaning outsiders, not the Afghan population) have the capacity to force a substantive change and exercise that capacity, then we have made no substantive change at all. We will have merely replaced one illegitimate government with another. Meaningful and legitimate change must come from within the AOR as an un-coerced expression of what the people living there want or are at least willing to leave with sans dysfunctional expressions of discontent (AKA violence).