We Still Need the Big Guns

[Rank amateur]

They've pretty much given up the idea that we would quit, take our marbles and go home

A) They've also figured out that if they mass in groups of 200-400 in certain parts of Afghanistan no one will attack them.

B) I don't know. If they have an Internet connection they might be able to figure out that Obama has promised an immediate withdrawal and there's at least a chance he'll win.

Look at the bright side, ISAF and its Canadian Commander in the south will soon have two Marine BCTs for the summer...

If 3,500 is good why isn't 135,000 better?

having more IO potential if they can concentrate on NATO forces to force a public outcry for withdrawal from Canada, the Dutch and the UK in that order.

I'm not certain about your position on this point. If our allies withdrew, would it be good, bad or irrelevant because we're winning in Iraq.

One might also consider that most, not all, of the bad guy's losses in Iraq have been as much a deterrent as an attraction to new recruits,

I'm concerned that they'll remember that recruiting was pretty strong when they sent people to terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and they're smart enough to figure out that as long as they keep their training mobile and surrounded by 200-400 Taliban, they can train as many people as they want.