U.S. Efforts in Afghanistan vs Pakti

Excellent Article:

U.S. Efforts in Afghanistan vs Pakti

October 15, 2007

Revitalizing U.S. Efforts in Afghanistan

by Lisa Curtis and James Phillips

Backgrounder #2076

Waging a Long-Term Political-Military-Economic Campaign to Stabilize Afghanistan. The Taliban poses more of a long-term political and ideological threat than a short-term military threat. OEF and ISAF forces have won important battlefield victories over the Taliban and have killed or captured many of its leaders, but the Taliban cannot be defeated merely by military means. The Afghan people are the center of gravity in the struggle against the Taliban and its militant allies. Ultimately, only the Afghans, not Westerners, can decisively defeat the Taliban. The U.S. and its allies need to convince Afghans that their long-term interests are better served by an inclusive democratic government with substantial economic aid from the West than by a radical Islamic regime. Building the capacity, effectiveness, and public support of the Afghan government should be the highest priority......

( INFO WAR: voa IN PASHTOON, fm RADIO, CELL PHONE NETWORK, Internet....INFO WAR USA: is MIA, AFGHAN & PAKTI...Gerald
If you don't talk to them, you can't win any hearts connected to the minds, that your not talking to.....G )

Lisa Curtis is Senior Research Fellow for South Asia in the Asian Studies Center and James Phillips is Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs in the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies, a division of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies, at The Heritage Foundation.

MUCH MORE SOURCE: REMARKABLE COVERAGE.
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