Quote Originally Posted by Brandon Friedman View Post
I wouldn't be so quick to do that, though.
Cuts both ways, also...
...The Taliban dress like women and fear the Americans.
Good western thought. The average Afghan will applaud them for doing that to escape. Guys have been hiding in Burqas there for centuries.
...ask why we allowed them to escape, we say it's because we didn't want to risk harming your families. At that point, if they give us explicit permission to assume that risk in the future, then we have the blessing of the local leaders.
I doubt many will ask; Afghans aren't as nosy and voluble as Arabs. They aren't going to give you such permission because (a) there's nothing in it for them; In the highly unlikely event one or some did give such permission, he who recieves it better check real close -- very probable the Elder(s) know your next objective belongs to a rival. (b) Women are chattels but YOU can't mess with them because they are not yours. Period. (c) even if you cajoled such 'permission' out of them, they'd deny it the first time a female got hurt to avoid risking a cut in the solatia payment. Not their female, no problem, tell he who is bereaved and insist on a share for not telling the Ferenghi...

Western solutions will not work in Afghanistan. Nor will many things that sort of worked in Iraq work in Afghanistan.

Back to the ROE -- it will take a few month to determine the effect they'll have. It'll take even longer to develop effective TTP to cope with the changes, if any. Bad area to try to impose knee jerk quick fixes, those folks have all the time in the world and they are in no hurry. They know we are in a hurry and that we tend to over react. They propose to take advantage of those flaws...