"On the other hand, he is apparently a leftist, one of those rogue CIA man who thinks he knows better than anyone else"
Yes, he's a big fat know-it-all... just like Richard Clarke was, the intrepid genius who knew all but still couldnt stop a single terrorist attack...
Anyway, it is funny how the FR know-it-all types gravitate to these guys.
Some good advice but take with grain o salt.
The only thing that can defeat us is defeatism itself.
"Muslim remains an intractably violent and evil religion, IMHO."
That is one thing that strikes me from this article, the intractable love of violence and hatred for the outside ... we have poured foreign aid in, we have begged for reconciliation, hosted elections, built schools and hospitals, and the jihadists would prefer muslim misery to westernized joy.
"The jahadist prefer muslim misery to westernized joy."
If you pray 5 times a day every day from childhood, and your only text book is the Koran, if you can even read, this is some mighty powerful brainwashing to overcome.
Its spiritual bondage.
Some people practice sexual bondage. Jihadists do the same thing in a different mentality.
" we have poured foreign aid in, we have begged for reconciliation, hosted elections, built schools and hospitals, and the jihadists would prefer muslim misery to westernized joy."
Sooner or later the leaders of our fair country need to say "sorry, we're busy" when misery comes knocking at these ungrateful nations' doors...Earthquakes, tsunamis, genocides, pestilence, etc., these places of violence and desperation might have to burn themselves out.
No more "we are the world" fundraisers, no more "we love you" fests....these countries are akin to termite nests under our back steps. Containment and defensive postures might be all we can pursue until they produce some rational leaders.
Give Karsai and areas of tranquility some protection and civilization and hope, and make the outsiders so wanting that they will try to sneak into the light. And hope they aren't wearing explosives.