Quote Originally Posted by Infanteer View Post
I think this is violent agreement - isn't focusing on securing the population and exploiting your defeat of the enemy the same thing? I don't think anything will break "their" will more than having the locals tell them to take a hike; at least it seems more productive than killing "them" and waiting for the next guy to pop up and dig into the culvert.
Sorry but breaking their will is required. The Taliban are not democrats. They do not care what the population want or think. They want to inflict their values on them.
This is gap between Irregular Warfare and the ever-so context specific ideas about insurgency. The Taliban do not need popular support to take power. They just need to ensure no military force opposes them!