I agree that this is something that the Afghan people will have to decide. But even if we discount the fighting as a issue there Unexploded ordinances that litter that nation are a huge issue. As it stands the NATO forces are better equipped in large numbers to deal with this threat. That is a reason that I am advocating the continuation of the mission in Afghanistan.

I know that we cannot stay there forever but what really make me want to hold back on leaving right now is that there is not a civilian force that can replace the different reconstruction jobs that are going on there. One thing that I would love to see being bloged about is what to do about Afghanistan and a plan on how do it. I would disagree with it but I would respect those that are willing to go into harms way.

Think of it this way. There is a call to arms in a time of war, so consider this a call to peace. It is not just putting up signs saying how peace is good and war is bad at a local drum circle. But a serious commitment to travel to areas in Afghanistan to help with a trade skill. So far this idea has just been slogans.

If we can have people actually do this you might get more consideration and people willing to listen to you.

I haven’t heard from Hakim at all. I’m going to respond to one of his prior comments and check in. That will send him the WordPress auto-email that someone has replied to him, and hopefully he’ll let us know how he’s doing.

I get your worry. I’m worried about it too. That’s one of the reasons I’m supportive of a solution articulated by the broad majority of folks interviewed in this DFID study. Basically, they say they want a fair standard applied across the board when it comes to who can and can’t stand for election, whether they are Taliban or not, and then have an election. That will eliminate (hopefully) the worst human rights abusers from both sides, while giving each faction a stake in the survival of the government. The trick is, though, that that’s a decision the Afghans have to make. But that’s really the trick to the whole mess: we can’t solve it. The Afghans have to solve it, or not solve it.

It really comes down to this for me: first, as you know, I oppose the use of violence in all circumstances. But second, and just as relevant to our discussion, we all know the U.S. won’t stay forever. We may stay another year, or another 50 years, but we are not staying forever. Knowing that, we have to decide what our limits are. I don’t see that from our leaders, and I certainly don’t see it coming from the folks arguing for a full COIN deployment. That’s kind of what I was getting at a couple of days ago re: who sets policy. Generals, given a task, tell you what they need to get the job done. It’s the politicians’ job to a) determine the task, and b) to decide if the nation can or should spend the resources demanded when the general tells you what they need for a given plan.

Suicide bomber kills 5 at UN office in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – A suicide bomber disguised as a security officer struck the lobby of the U.N. food agency’s Pakistan headquarters Monday, killing five people a day after the new leader of the Pakistani Taliban vowed fresh assaults, authorities and witnesses said.

The blast raises questions as to how the bomber managed to evade tight security at the heavily fortified World Food Program compound in the capital, Islamabad. It could also hamper the work of WFP and other aid agencies assisting Pakistanis displaced by army offensives against al-Qaida and the Taliban in their strongholds close to the Afghan border.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091005/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan

This is the danger that I am worried about that the Taliban and friends will not care who they attack as long as they view them as a threat.

It has been 10 days since the Journey’s to Smiles meeting on the 25th. I cannot find any news about how it went. Have you seen anything?