While the author makes some valid points I think there is more to the story than has been outlined.

A major consideration is that the US has no faith in the Karzai government, which is widely regarded as corrupt and in the habit of rigging elections. Its main other "ally" on the ground, namely Pakistan, has been found to be double-dealing, while Afghanistan itself is highly tribal with very weak national structures.

I would compare Afghanistan with Somalia. Both are virtually ungovernable. The difference, as far as the US is concerned, is that it wisely exited Somalia at an early juncture but felt compelled to stay in Afghanistan for reasons related to 9/11.

Dear Riaz,

My generation of analysts were taught that each topic should be viewed as a pyramid. At the top is the big picture, each subsequent layer introduces more issues and more content, so the further down you go the greater the number of both issues and content one faces.

By following and adhering to pertinent threads it is possible to interrogate vast amounts of strategically relevant information and reach logical conclusions. When starting in the middle of the pyramid however, it is almost impossible to branch out to a meaningful conclusion.

Whilst I agree with much of your article you appear to have leapt to conclusion without leaving the reader an audit trail to follow. You have drawn on some selective issues and content immediately adjacent to your entry point and then dragged them with you to your conclusion.

The big issues in the middle east relate to a dramatic change in the strategic geo-politics. The USA and the coalition of the willing have now disengaged, so it matters not what the neo-Taliban groups do, it’s now their problem.

Intended or not, the middle east interventions delayed radicalized consolidation in the region until the West had achieved energy security, now the Levanter’s can get lost.

The other major issue not specifically related the individual radical groups, it is more the parasitic allegiances they are developing with middle eastern States.

Therefore I think any focus on individual radical groups gets buried in the bigger picture.

Its great to get an article from a Pakistani(?)-Australian socialogist who for some reason doesn't mention Afghanistan's most influential neighbor and the Taliban's major supporter - Pakistan.

Karzai, the Thomas Jefferson of Afghani democracy, is above reproach.

Any insinuations of:

- Karzai's constant backroom deals with the Taliban,

- along with Karzai and his fellow Warlord's salting away in Swiss bank accounts 50% of aid money to Afghanistan

- that has thwarted ISAF's efforts at every turn

are completely accurate.

Bren 911 had nothing to do with 911.It was all about oil/gas pipe lines from Turkmenistan, the opium, a $ trillion of Lithium and strategic position to China.

Like Vietnam , Afghanistan is all about making money from selling weapons and stealing other peoples resources.911 was a lie. http://www.ae911truth.org/

< While the author makes some valid points I think there is more to the story than has been outlined. >

Sure. Al Qaeda now controls more territory in the Arab world than ever before.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-01-09/al-qaeda-now-controls-more-territory-arab-world-ever

Mission Accomplished I'd say, Arjay! The MIC have made a motza from this and now the whole world is chasing ghosts, which the USSA created out of thin air! A state created enemy that can never be killed. It's even better than the cold war, because they never got to let lose on all those nukes. Now they get to replace mortars, drones, brass, Humvies on a daily bases. The MIC has found the ultimate cash cow!

How many more nations is the world going to allow the U.S. to destroy, plunder, and leave in shambles?

Is Iran next on its list despite a show of trying to get some kind of a peace deal or has it moved its focus to China? Whatever, its bunch of psychotic, fanatical leaders are up to, it won't be good for the world.

But does the world care? Of course not. As the wolf devours the hens, people look the other way, pretend to themselves that the U.S. is a force for good.

George, your book '1984' was wasted on the world. We deserve whatever nightmare the barbaric, psychotic Americans impose upon us.

To: Mr. David G,

Congratulations brother, you have passed our psychometric test. And not only have you passed --you scored top mark. Your mark was 299 out of a possible 300, even our esteemed leader and founder(PHUB) only score 295.

We are happy to offer you a place in our organization..

As-salaam 'alaykum!

Abdullah Abdullah
Chief Recruiting Officer --al-Qaeda Asia-Pacific Division.

To Agent/Brother SPQR:

From: FIELD COMMANDER: SOUTH-EAST ASIA-COM.

Congratulations. To Destroy Those Who Dare To Question Our Exceptional Born-To-Rule Nation Is A Sacred Duty. After All, We Are Truly Exceptional, The Greatest Nation The World Has Ever Scene!

David G Is A Cereal Nuisance. He Keep Exposing Our Plans For World Domination. His Name Is On Our Assassination Squad List And Also Features On Our Drone List. And Our Waterboarding Speshialists Can't Wait To Get Their Hands On Him When He's Caged.

I Have Revuewed Your Position On Our -I WANT TO BE AN AMERICAN- List. Good News! You are in position No: 120,706.

Keep Up Your Good Work, Agent SPQR. Your Check Is In The Male. Attack David G Day and Knight! Soon You Will Join Us Where The Streets Are Paved with Gold and Honey And Police Have Armoured Vehicles.

God Bless America! We Are His Children Now.

General Chuck Wayne. Ex-Marines/CIA/My Lai/Abu Graib.

Big things are happening in the US.I heard from several sources that the US Military have had enough of Obama and are going to remove him soon.

Bush instigated Home Land security and Obama said he wanted a homeland force just as powerful and well equipped as the military. General Martin Dempsey is the head of the Joint Chiefs and said recently that the Military should support its oath to the Constitution and this means protecting the US people from enemies both foreign and domestic. Dempsey was instrumental in stopping Obama attacking Syria and probably a war with Russia.

You may have heard of the missing nukes from Dyess Airforce base.3 nukes were removed without signatures in Oct 2013.http://www.infowars.com/top-nuke-commanders-fired-following-missing-nuclear-warheads-report/

On 3/9/13 Senator Lindsay Graham said that if they did not attack Syria a nuke attack could happen at Charleston South Carolina.

Apparently one of these nukes were fired and it ended up 1000 kms in the ocean off South Carolina. Vladmir Putin said a nuke had gone off in this area that was reported to be a minor earth quake of 4.5.

Obama sacked his top General in charge of nukes Major General Michael Cary and Vice Admiral Giardina. It is reported that both these people dis-obeyed Obama's instruction to bomb Charleston with an EMP nuke device. At this time FEMA were doing drills in collapse of the electrical/communication infrastructure ,which is exactly what EMPs.

Obama has sacked 208 of his senior military executive since coming to power which is unheard of. We have serious devisions in the USA which may well lead to civil war or a military overthrow of the Govt.

I have nit read the article, will later, but i will say that We and the US, should never have gone there in the first place.

What was needed was a group of highly skilled, highly paid mercenaries sent to kill Bin Larden. same goes for Iraq.

You simply can't win a war against people who use there own people as human shields or willingly kill themselves in honor of their god.

What we should have focused on was keeping these people away from our countries.

We will pay the ultimate cost for our lack luster approach to immigration.

Fake Al Qaeda
http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/fakealqaeda.php

"The truth is, there is no Islamic army or terrorist group called Al Qaida. And any informed intelligence officer knows this. But there is a propaganda campaign to make the public believe in the presence of an identified entity representing the 'devil' only in order to drive the TV watcher to accept a unified international leadership for a war against terrorism. The country behind this propaganda is the US . . ." -- Pierre-Henri Bunel

Time to repost this. The US is desperate to get their war agenda going again and not surprisingly the US corporate media (in between reassuring us that all this snow and ice and record cold is no reason to doubt there is human-caused global warming) is reporting how Al Qaeda, almost wiped out, is suddenly resurgent across the face of ... everywhere the US needs to invade to restore the petro-dollar and Bretton-Woods.
Optional Banner:
WRH Exclusive

^
Jan 12 07:34
Total corruption: Organised crime infiltrated and compromised UK courts, police, HMRC, Crown Prosecution Service, prisons, and juries
By: Blacklistednews
http://www.blacklistednews.com/Total_corruption%3A_Organised_crime_infiltrated_and_compromised_UK_courts%2C_police%2C_HMRC%2C_Crown_Prosecution_Service%2C_prisons%2C_and_juries/31928/0/38/38/Y/M.html

A leaked Scotland Yard report disclosed in The Indepedent documents the near-total corruption of the British government and justice system by organised criminals. The report documents "Operation Tiberius," which dates to 2003, and contains a series of explosive allegations about corruption, including the sale of £50,000 "get out of jail free cards," the buying off of juries, and the "at will" infiltration of Scotland Yard by gangs.
Jan 12 07:33
Fake Al Qaeda Actors EXPOSED! Adam Gadahn & Yousef al-Khattab

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsUtvOW6SR0

http://www.michaelcrichton.net/video-speeches-smithsonian.html
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/12/25/341790/mossad-bush-planned-executed-911/
http://stratrisks.com/geostrat/17449
http://whatreallyhappened.com/IMAGES/SMALL_falseslagthemovie.jpg
http://undergrounddocumentaries.com/counter-intelligence-shining-a-light-on-black-operations/
http://alethonews.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/challenging-the-power-of-the-jewish-lobby-what-should-be-done/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2537886/BBCs-six-year-cover-secret-green-propaganda-training-executives.html#ixzz2qBlfEG9a
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axU9ngbTxKw
http://www.blacklistednews.com/Big_money_behind_war%3A_the_military-industrial_complex/31921/0/38/38/Y/M.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2537937/Senior-ministers-Blairs-government-facing-crime-probe-Iraq-torture.html
http://undergrounddocumentaries.com/leaked-the-internet-must-go-the-corporate-plan-to-take-over-the-internet/

it wasn't "America's mission" to start with, it was a NATO mission.

And it did achieve a lot. To begin with, it made tens of thousands of the highest class of jihadi Muslims into "good Muslims." And I think it did something else that was very significant. It exposed the people of this cesspit "country" to western ways for the first time ever. I am not sure how the Taliban are gonna keep 'em, down on the farm, now that they've seen Pareeee.

The sight of female soldiers must have really been a culture shock, and the Afghans can once again realise that the Taliban are just religious nut jobs with nothing positive to offer.

If the Talib terrs want to give aid and comfort to our enemies in Al Qaida, we can bugger them up big time by giving arms to their ethnic enemies in the north,with whom we have cordial relations. Add a few drone strikes and the odd bombing mission out of Diego Garcia, and the Talibs might see the light and realise that pisssing of the west is not conducive to health and longevity.

I am sure that many in the Taliban will miss us. Just like "Palestine", without a war they are out of business. Just another backward, poverty stricken Muslim country that will never crawl above the values of the 13th century.