[AnotherUnixGeek]

Why Afghanistan matters: The U.S. cannot let this battered land fall to terrorists

We're fighting a losing battle trying to keep Afghanistan propped up if we don't do something about the cancer that is Pakistan, Afghanistan's neighbor. It's not in the interest of the Pakistani military to see Afghanistan too stable or out of Pakistani control - they nurtured the Taliban and injected it into Afghanistan in the first place. Stabilizing Afghanistan permanently means stabilizing Pakistan, otherwise it's just going to be an endless drain of lives and money while our so-called allies in Pakistan work relentlessly to undo everything we do.

[Bratch]