The Afghanistan War Is Over. We Lost. via The Weekly Standard...

via TWS.

The Taliban, which knows the U.S. is desperate to leave, just attacked a meeting between Afghan officials and the top U.S. military commander.
America has lost the war in Afghanistan. Washington may not want to admit it, and the U.S. military insists the conflict is a “stalemate.” But make no mistake: The original 9/11 war has been lost.

On Thursday, the Taliban attacked a meeting between Afghan officials and the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. Austin S. Miller. Americans in attendance were wounded, but Miller was unhurt. At least three Afghan officials, though, were killed, including Gen. Abdul Raziq, a key American ally and powerbroker in southern Afghanistan. The U.S. military’s initial statement on the attack was a good example of its cognitive dissonance. Instead of a full condemnation, Col. Dave Butler, the spokesman for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, claimed it was merely an “Afghan-on-Afghan incident.” This is an absurd characterization given that the Taliban quickly claimed responsibility, a crucial anti-Taliban commander was killed, and Americans were wounded, all in the presence of the U.S. general in charge of the war effort.

Story here. 

This is a must read.

The war is lost, nation building is as dead today as it was during Vietnam. Democracy is a lovely form of govt but it doesn't export.  It has to be desired and fought for by the people within a country.

Much of the world doesn't seem to want democracy.

They're not too fond of American capitalism as its practiced today either.

Ya know what the real answer is?  It will break the Green Berets but their basic concept of operations is spot on.  Provide REAL advisors.  Guide, train and provide LIMITED support but let them do the fighting and bleeding. 

Or to take a page from our Russian frenemies, go in with a small footprint, spend limited amount of money and get it done that way.

Regardless we just spent almost 2 decades of learning what not to do all over again.