A new RAND report recommends a US-Pakistan nuclear deal, modeled after a similar agreement with India, as part of the US counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. And that's just crazy.
The real endgame Karzai is working toward is that of a nominal, Pashtun-nationalist government in Kabul overlaying a Taliban-dominated countryside. Together they function not only as a crime family capable of exploiting Afghanistan's resources but also as a highly effective proxy for Pakistan's interminable battle against Indian influence.
Senate Republicans criticized President Obama's decision to begin withdrawing from Afghanistan in July 2011, claiming it sends the wrong message to our allies. But is this really accurate?
Part of understanding propaganda is knowing its intended audience. The recent Pentagon leak on Afghanistan's mineral wealth is no different. While it appears desperate and comical, it is highly effective and specifically targeted propaganda.
As the US campaign in Helmand and Kandahar, blame has increasingly shifted toward allies like NATO, Karzai, and Pakistan. The US wants them to "do more." But they are doing more. The problem is not our allies, but the war itself.