[DoughtyOne]

Frist should keep his lips clamped shut if he can't do better than this.

Number one, you don't telegraph to the other side that you recognize you can't win a military victory. Number two, you do NOT even hint that you want the Taliban to be a part of the government, which is the only way those sympathetic to the Taliban are going to sign on board a deal.

What this clarification amounts to is an acknowledgement of defeat and the hope we can get the Taliban to make nice.

Frist is NOT the developer of foreign policy. He's a Senate hack that can't get it right more often than not.

Next time I wish he'd stay home when he gets the urge to dip his fingers in something to fix it.

[Alia]

Baloney! This is NOT an acknowledgement or assignation of defeat. Who do you think the US is? General Custer? Karzai and Musharraf have a lot to sort out between them. This, as expressed, by Frist will make "talks" better in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. The "ones" who will agree to talk, about possibly being represented in Government will be those who are generally MORE peaceful.

The Islamofascist strength and core will be whittled away at.