Beren wrote:
War is a racket, and the War in Afghanistan has always been meant to be that.
Ironically, the US efforts in Afghanistan was at its most successful when it was run like an old fashioned racket: a handful of Special Forces soldiers, suitcases full of dollars, and bombers in the sky. The Afghan warlords could sense a good business opportunity when one presented itself. It was a no brainer actually. In Pablo Escobar South America, politicians were made a simple proposal: plomo o Plata? Basically, would you prefer a bullet lodged in your skull, or a fistful of dollars in your palm? The CIA offer to the Afghan warlords then was also irresistible: a suitcase packed full of dollars or bombardment from the skies? In exchange for what?, the then warlords enquired. Just issue divorce papers to the Taliban, said the CIA. That's all?, queried the warlords. That's all, said the CIA. Fuck the Taliban then, said the warlords. It was as easy as that.
Unfortunately, in the aftermath, Havard scholars stepped in, or were introduced to manage the racket. It became visions of a Jeffersonian democracy in Qabul; fancy schools for girls, lucrative deals for Hamid Karzais. Little by little the warlords were cut out of the racket. A big mistake. Today they are needed to oppose the Taliban, but no one has been lining their pockets for a while. A shame. Letting a good racket go to waste.
To add injury to the tragedy, things are proceeding on the ground at a faster pace than the clock speed of Senile Joe's deteriorating Central Processing Unit. A nimble mind is what is needed at present in the White House, and a nimble intellect Senile Joe is not.
Senile Joe is capable of no further line of action than Cut n Run