The author omits the fundamental issue: allowing Salafism to exist in any form. If Pakistan allows it, then they cannot be a friend of the United States. Period. That is how you win: isolate the governments who allow it to be preached. So Screw them and double down on India. At least the lines will be clearly drawn, and there will be no long engagement with no end in sight.
Thank You for your service.
Point #2 did seem to talk about pressuring Pakistan and using India as a fall back.
In the link in the article < Contractors > it refers to a number of Indian Mercenaries already there. I believe it said 70% of the 25,00 Mercenaries and that figure was from August 2016.
Obviously an inherited mess for Trump. Interesting to see what he does.
Best Wishes
Apparently the experiences of the British Empire and the Russians in Afghanistan weren't enough for that historically illiterate fool.
Afghanistan has some national identity to even though it is a collection of tribes hobbled together as a political entity created by Western nations. The main cities can be conquered and controlled, but not the millions who live in mountainous villages. I say this as one who lived there for five years, and once was the only foreigner at the all-men Afghan ceremonial dinner where the bride’s father agreed with groom’s father the two could marry. This was the real marriage with the groom present and not the bride. Following this was the “reception” with a separate areas for men and a separate area for women. We can’t imagine how different this culture is. Many of the educated Afghans had respect for the US recognizing that the stinger missles drove out the Soviets, but that goodwill has been largely squandered.