Pakistan's U.S. POWs

by Ralph Peters - February 17th, 2009 - New York Post

We're now on the verge of doubling our troop commitment to a mismanaged war that lacks sane goals and teeters toward inanity. And we're putting our troops at the mercy of one of the world's most-corrupt states - Pakistan - which has cut a deal with extremists to enforce Sharia law a short drive from the capital.

After taking apart al Qaeda's base network and punishing the Taliban, we should have left the smoking ruins. This should have been a classic punitive expedition: We're not obliged to rehabilitate foreign murderers.

As for those who exclaim that "We would have had to go back!" - well, so what? Had we needed to hammer Afghanistan again in 2007 or 2008, that still would've been cheaper in blood (ours and the Afghans') and treasure than trying to build a "rule of law" state where no real state ever existed.

Staying left us with criminally vulnerable logistics - ever the bane of campaigns in the region. The Brits and the Soviets both learned the hard way that superior fighting skills don't suffice in Afghanistan ...

I am hesitant to second guess our military leaders, or President George W. Bush, but I am coming to the opinion that on this battlefield, we got it wrong. At least I am of the opinion that the right course now is to leave, now that Khan has been released from house arrest and it is clear we do not have the logistics to support our troops. Let the Afghans fight it out among themselves. If the Taliban takes over a major portion of the country, simply bomb that portion the way we did Kosovo.

Sometimes 'boots on the ground' is not the way to go.

However I have no confidence that Obama will do the right thing in this battlefield of the war against the Islamo-fascists. No confidence at all.