Absolutely agreed - it's a situation that has got to be remedied.

Although, in the interest of flaming: the desert-dwelling taliban assholes wouldn't know the first thing about what to do with a nuclear weapon, even if they were to get their hands on one.

Can we just erase the line on the map and call it Pakighanistan?

Afghanistan is the "fifth poorest" nation in the world. I believe Pakistan and Afghanistan could merge and improve the lives of the fifth poorest people on the planet. The opium crop profits could go to the Pakistan/Afghan combined government. The rest of the world can buy that sweet opium and the rising tide could lift them out of poverty.

Hopefully, we can trade our mangoes back for the nuclear weapons we gave Pakistan.

Rogect - Don't buy into stereotypes. It's not about the Taliban, its about whos behind them. A lot of the worlds most dangerous terrorists, REAL terrorists not just so-called ones, are very educated.

I agree it would be a bad idea to just leave them be to take the country back over again. But I also think that unless we shit or get off the pot then we need to come up with another plan. We've been fighting in Afghanistan with one hand tied behind our back(minimal force) for nearly a decade. We can't finish the fight without adding more troops there. Maybe if NATO wasnt so impotent we wouldnt have to brunt the burden but thats the facts.

To me, Afghanistan is a useless wasteland shithole of desert and rock and nothing else. To the CIA, its a candyland of drug money. To the Oil barrons, its a fantasyland of well placed pipelines. Those are the real reasons we are there, drugs and oil.

Those are the real original reasons Bush wanted to go there. The issue with Pakistan didn't flare up until several years later.

That whole region of the world is the asshole of the planet.

GIDiplomat - The CIA wouldn't want to split any more of its share of the Opium cash with Pakistan.

J M - See, this is why I hate being a law student. Around here, I get extra points for answering in the alternative. In the real world, I get my ass handed to me.

You're right though - I was just being overly optimistic for purposes of being a....flamer? The scariest part is who could be behind the Taliban. We were never told who exactly it was that funded their 9/11 efforts, but the little bit of info that has come out seems to point to people within the Pakistani government; specifically from the ISI. Uh oh... So there's a strong chance that there are high level officials within the Pakistani military and intelligence community who are sympathetic to the Taliban's cause? Yeah....nevermind that whole 'optimism' thing.

Video- Hillary slams Cheney

Over the last fifty years many have tried in Afghanistan but had their asses handing to them. So we're going to waltz in there and fix it all up?
NOT. GONNA. HAPPEN. We'll be in another 10 year quagmire like Iraq and we'll end up leaving. Like someone else mentioned, we need to shit or get off the pot. Go in there, eliminate the Taliban for good and get out. it will tke a whole lot of troops and a heck of alot more money than we have.
Personally i think we have so many troubles here at home that we need to take care of us right now-not the armpit we call Afghanistan.

I am in full agreement with you Bob. Recently saw on Link TV a documentary about the day to day struggle of our magnificent troops in the front line in this bazzaro world called Afghanistan. This is not the time to leave. On this, I have to trust in Obama, Gates and Patreus that they will do what is needed while minimizing harm to civilians and troops.

The way I see it, Afghanistan is going to do to us what it did to the Soviet Union. They don't want us there, the surrounding region doesn't think we should be there, and we are supporting a corrupt government, which we helped establish.

The only way we can escape with some semblance of a 'victory' is to pulverize the country into oblivion. And I don't think anyone is going to allow us to do that, nor do I think we should be.

If we are concerned about Pakistan's nuclear weapons, which, along with India's, we should be, then we should be dealing with Pakistan. They are the ones allowing the Taliban back into their country - they have essentially allowed the Taliban to annex part of their country.

I agree that the Taliban shouldn't be allowed anywhere within sniffing distance of a nuclear weapon, but fighting an endless war in Afghanistan isn't going do it.

Kat - Afghanistan has already been pulverized into oblivion by endless war. Its a wasteland of ruin. The country is nothing but Opium and Pipelines.

Kat - Afghanistan has already been pulverized into oblivion by endless war. Its a wasteland of ruin. The country is nothing but Opium and Pipelines.

If that is true, then why are we worrying about them getting their hands on nuclear weapons?

When I say 'pulverize,' I mean hundreds of thousands of troops and bombing campaigns which annihilate any and all lifeforms.

>>Can we just erase the line on the map and call it Pakighanistan?

@Joe, that's pretty doggone funny in a morbid kind of way...which explains why it made me laugh.

Is it just me? Why is it always what are WE going to do about Afghanistan or Pakistan? We cannot do this by ourselves without further ruining our country and our military.

Clinton has declared what a grave danger the Taliban pose in Pakistan yet WE are the only ones that seem to take the threat seriously. WTF? Are we paranoid or is the rest of the world asleep.

One thing is for sure we cannot counter every threat without the support of our so-called allies.

Well guys, we better do something about Afghanistan and Pakistan, because if we don't, India will.