[Rashputin]

The longer any country has its' troops engaging in combat in another country, the larger the percentage of the local population that resents the outsider even if they liked or tolerated them at the beginning.

After 17 years of letting the opium crop increase every year, it's amazing that the Taliban has waited this long to make a major offensive against one or more cities along the Kabul to Kandahar highway. Maybe once we're focused on where they are now they'll launch an offensive against one of the endpoints, either Kabul or Kandahar.

[onona]

After 17 years of letting the opium crop increase every year

That right there says is all partner.