Bad News Guys...The Taliban Appear To At Least Be Holding Their Own...

The situation in Afghanistan today, almost half of the population is already out of government control. Via @LongWarJournal

Maps don't lie and the map above paints a pretty depressing picture.  The Taliban appear to at least be holding their own.  The only good news is that I've finally settled on the idea that this is about the great power competition with China.

Additionally while I'm a critic of the methods adopted by the Special Ops bubbas (raids, raids and only raids have failed to provide any change in the status quo...doing the same thing and expecting different results...) and I continue to marvel when every Commander that takes over that theater of operations follows the failed lead of the guy he replaced, I can at least cheer the reduction in troop numbers.

So where does this leave me?

If the Pentagon, State Dept and National Command Authority on both the Republican and Democrat sides seem to agree that Afghanistan is essential and that we MUST remain, then we need to start treating this as an expense without return.

Just like a utility bill that is too, its time to start turning off lights.  In this case the massive building projects, civil engagements etc...need to stop.

At this point its just throwing good money after bad.

Trash the "new" counterinsurgency playbook.  That shit ain't working (probably need to have Army and Navy War Colleges examine what went right and wrong).  Stop trying to bring democracy to people that don't want it.  Stop trying to convert people with buildings/projects that they'll blow up as soon as its built.  Stop trying to bribe locals to join our side.

In short we need to run the Afghanistan effort on a shoestring budget.