Analyst's note: If our military leaders were permitted to push aside political correctness, and once again realize the need to first defeat the enemy before we rebuild local infrastructure, the numbers mentioned below could be even higher. We should be doing everything possible to bring the enemy, and those indigenous elements who support them, "to their knees" for total surrender or annihilation and bring our troops home.
Can we change the failed strategy (listen to 8Dec2010 bdcst) of COIN [counterinsurgency], properly adjust the rules of engagement (ROE), and get this war over with? We should only send our warriors into a war to "win" - certainly not to rebuild and make friends with the enemy. We have other gov't agencies to take care of that when needed.
So far, we are killing our youth and destroying our war making machinery necessary for our national security that are sure to follow, while our warriors are ordered to participate in "dialog with potential enemies" and rebuild mosques in the Middle East. Instead of fighting to win, we are diluting our war actions through "humanitarian operations," with such things as educational assistance. Time to re-awake "pilgrims" before it is too late!!
"Coalition and Afghan special operations teams have hit hard at the Taliban and allied groups' leadership and rank and file during more than 7,000 raids throughout Afghanistan over the past six months.