Hi Rodger,
I really like the idea of an exit strategy to the GWOT as I still doubt the usefulness of the 'Counter-terrorism with military means' agenda of the Bush administration. Yet I doubt the "workability" of some of the proposals concerning Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Any discussion of Afghanistan and Pakistan, needs to take into account the problems within Pakistan.
Musharraf was the last of a couple of military rulers in Pakistan that established the final stone for a fullfledged parent guardian system. The military - especially with Article 58(2) still in place and the establishment of the National Security Council - institutionalized two options of making policy. Various government institutions are highly penetrated by active military personnel.
Obama would have to stop military aid to the Pakistan Army, and support the civilian government politically and economically, in order to decrease the military's role in politics and economics, in order to strengthen the civilian government. I would also recommend strong USAID missions and support of the provincial government in the tribal regions.
Regarding the idea of providing guns and money in Afghanistan, would need somebody to provide the money to. I haven't heard so far of any grouping as strong as the 'Sahawah Al Anbar' of Iraq, in Afghanistan. And I don't think helping to form militias is not a good idea if there aren't any. Even though the Anbar Awakening and following movements turned the tide, many of those militias joined the ISF. Sorting out these militias has been one of the most challenging non operational problem for the ISF so far.
I would recommend a similar tactic in Afghanistan as with ISF Forces in Iraq. U.S. or NATO forces co-deployed with Afghan forces, providing training and help with missions could be more successful in the long run than establishing a sectarian militia. Of course this asks for more troops from the U.S. and more troops from other NATO forces.
Hi Roger... just dropped in to see how that never-ending civil war in Iraq is going.... did the poor honorable insurgents defeat the evil US military that were killing the innocent Iraqi civilians like you claimed?
Just checking.
-red
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