Several readers responded to my “Modest Proposal” post along the following lines: “Afghanistan hosted al-Qaeda. We can’t let that happen again. So how would you prevent it?”
Am I missing something? Seems straightforward to me. (1) Go there in force. (2) Break their stuff and kill their leaders. (3) Tell them loud and clear: If you host our enemies again, we’ll be back. (4) Go home. (5) Lather, rinse, repeat.
How is this difficult? What need is there for an eight-year occupation? Eight years? This is nuts.
If you have been engaged in hostilities for eight years without significant result, YOUR POLICY HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY IN ERROR.