I see a lot of random thoughts (mine included) discussing strategy or more accurately strategies for fighting AQ, Taliban, stablizing Afghanistan, etc., which in my view points to the heart of the problem. What are we trying to accomplish in Afghanistan? What is the policy? We have apparently have a plan for Afghanistan that is largely (not completely) disassociated with our fight against AQ, yet as we can all see from the points made previously one moment we're discussing how to stabilize Afghanistan and the next we're discussion how to defeat AQ. While there is somewhat of geographical nexus of the two strategies in Afghanistan, they are still largely two separate strategies. Regarding Afghanistan, and the question I was asked initially that apparently kicked this discussion off was what would you do patrol leader? I assumed the question was regarding Afghanistan, which is what our men and women on the front lines (not those in the FOBs) are trying to do. I tend to agree with Bob's approach about making a deal the Taliban can't refuse, but as he stated that can't be done because the ISI refuses to allow the Taliban to cooperate, so where does that leave us? If you're being attacked by forces that enjoy safehaven in Pakistan like the Haqanni Network, Lashkar e taiyyba, and numerous Taliban factions (their leadership enjoys residence in Pakistan, there bomb making schools are in Pakistan, and there not all in the FATA), do you ignore the issue and continue to try to nation build in hopes that this will eventually somehow defeat the forces that are destablizing Afghanistan (of course you could argue we're the force destablizing Afghanistan)? I remain open to alternative views, but I haven't seen any arguments to convince me that this is feasible.

If you asked me how to defeat AQ, I would propose a different approach that is largely SOF/CIA led working through proxies to disrupt and destroy their networks. I only need a few small toe holds in Afghanistan and other locations to disrupt the safehavens Pakistan, especially if we work a deal out with the Taliban, which we might be able to do if we leave them alone. Of course that would be a betrayal of our allies within Afghanistan who have put their lives and their families lives on the line to support our efforts to build a better Afghanistan and it would piss off India, because we would have sided with a State Sponsor of terrorism (make a deal with the devil) to get after AQ. Of course any strategy that seriously addresses AQ must be global, to include Europe, the U.S., Africa, the Middle East, etc. There is a valid so what question if we finally do kill or capture AQ's senior leadership that we think is in Pakistan. I don't think anyone will believe the war is over with.

While I may not agree I think everyone is making valid points depending upon what problem you may be trying to solve.