Where do you clear? Most of the country is mountainous or at least uninhabited. Where do you hold? Everywhere seems to be hours away from everywhere else due to the size of the AOs. There is no real government to hand things over to. We policed in Iraq, that’s what COIN is. I agree that GEN Petraeus’ comments are pointless, but Afghanistan as a war/police action/whatever is NOT a simple fight.
“Well stated. Obama made Afghan his war and now we are witnessing Obama’s incompetence as Commander in Chief.”
We are also witnessing Petreaus helping Zero make good on his campaign promise, which he inserts into every speech, while losing men in the ass end of the world in an area that can not be treated as if it was Iraq.
I question why he would do this, knowing full well that a different theater does not mean that similar tactics will work, especially given conditions in a tribal dominated, 7th century culture.
The fact that this strategy worked in Iraq does NOT mean it will work in A-stan. Petraeus’ main accomplishment was to make the first formal accommodation with Sunni insurgents.