Quote Originally Posted by Eden View Post
I think the best we can salvage from the situation is a return to 2002. Place American firepower in the hands of a few selected power-brokers to ensure the Taliban cannot regain power and hope that over a decade or so the Afghans can sort themselves out. I think they can restore the social and political restraints that existed pre-1979 which afforded the country a modicum of stability and prospects for economic growth.
I dont think you can go back to 2002 in 2009. Unfortunately, the world moves on. Other people have already adjusted to things that happened in 2002. As far as I can see, this war is more about making Pakistan (and other countries) behave than actually making "afghanistan a better place". My guess is, the naughtier boys in Pakistan and Iran and elsewhere are going to take any return to 2002 as vindication of their strategy (wouldnt you?) and go much further than they ever did in 2002. Just a thought...