When the Islamists militia attack non-Mulsims, they shout their war-cry “allahu akhbar”. Their war is a ‘religious’ war. The West is yet to identify the real enemy, because their doctrine of warfare is not relevant for fighting a “religious” warfare. The real enemy is the ideology of Islam.

Even though a non-Muslim may not be religious, the ideology of Islam considers every non-Muslim to be an enemy. They are either to be converted, subdued or finally killed.

To win the war in Afghanistan, tribal areas of Pakistan, every mosques, Islamic religious schools must be destroyed and Islamic religious leaders put away indefinitely. Because Islamists use these institutions to their advantage.

In the UK weapons were found in mosques. Similarly for Pakistan, a large cache of weapons were found in Red mosque. The situation is almost identical in India

http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=66413
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2678071.stm
http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=66413

Not surprisingly, the Israelis struck at a mosque and also an Islamic ‘university’ when defending themselves against rocket fire from Hamas.

The author wrote: "...the key to winning is a two-pronged attack - political and military...The most obvious way from a political angle is to provide the local people with clean running water, sanitation..."

This is not true in the case of Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, the key to winning is a three-pronged attack -- Ideological, Political and Military.
The most important being ideological. Afghan must learn that they can choose to believe in a religion other than Islam.

If the most important ideological attack, is unsuccessful, then all foreign aids to Afghanistan will end up supporting a population that will ultimately claim some sort of brotherhood with the Talibans.

The Author quotes Dostum, Warlord/General as saying:

In June 2008, Canadian journalist Scott Taylor and I were told by Dostum in Kabul, the Afghan capital that:

<<he could round up an army of 5,000 fighters and clean out the Taliban.>>

This indicates the great gult in thinking between modern PC western government/military forces and traditional Afghan.

What does Dostum 'mean' by 'clean out'?

Based on history (his) it means identifying them based on the easily tracable background of all those in a particular village, taking them out to a quiet place and blowing their brains out.

What we miss in the West, due to our predominantly secular ideological foundation, is that the people of Afghanistan think differently.
They do not share our values but more...the values they do hold are in direct conflict with those we seek to operate and live by.

We seem to think that 'clean water and jobs' will address the needs of the Afghan villagers.

Taliban approach is also the Islamic one.. "marry into the local leadership". Given that Islam allows many wives, this is not a hard thing for Taliban leaders.

This of course goes back to the way Mohammad himself operated. (and pushing a bit further.. King Solomon of Old Testament notoriety)

On what basis can we Westerners tell Dostum that heu can't disrepect the human rights of the Taliban?.... oooooh my..ooooh my....

that just sounds like trying to fight a hungry alligator by smacking it's snout with a wet lettuce leaf.