The government has amply demonstrated its corruption capped it off with elections as fraudulent as in Iran.

The rights of women are denied. <link>

Afghanistan grows more opium than under the Taliban and Karzai's family is involved. <link>

The military industrial complex is undermining our democracy and sapping the resources of our country.

Incidentally, in a sane system, McChrystal should have been severely reprimanded or sacked for publicly telling the world what Obama should do there.

Agreed on all counts. We punished al-Qai'da and those who supported them LONG ago. Past time to go.

Or, if that's not politically do-able, here's some rational thinking on what can be done with many fewer US troops than we have there now. It has the added virtue of being composed by someone who 1) knows the country, the people, the language, and 2) will be working there or nearby for the rest of his career.