[Stultis]

Hopefully a powerful government can emerge that will get the support of most of the warlords and hopefully undermine them in the long run.

Warlords are now officially illegal in Afghanistan. The Karzai government has passed a law stating that no military leader can also hold a political position. Is it going to take awhile to actually affect this? Sure it will. This is why we are helping the government build a military. But it can no longer be left to the "long run" or to gradual "undermining." Warlords who refuse to give up either their private armies or their governorships must be crushed.

[stalin]

The Russians tried that too. It didn't work. The warlords won. The Russians supported a massive national army that lost battle after battle. Then they sent in the Russian army and they couldn't get it done either.

The warlords are the power among the Afghan people. They always have been. You don't want to be insensitive to the Afghan culture do you ? :) I'm sure Bush doesn't. Many of the same ones that supported and still support AlQ are still in power and not going anywhere anytime soon.

We pay them fortunes to not start trouble for now. That wont last.

The Afghan national has no power outside of Kabul and virtually no support from the people. Their loyalty goes to their ethic leadership not any national government.

If we really are going to nation build ( which is doubtful ) it's going to be a very long and bloody road.

I think that the admin is just looking as far as the next election. They'll pay the warlords to play nice for now , including the supporters of ALQ.