http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/2011_0606you_betcha_she_was_right_experts_back_palins_historical_account/

I am more worried by the apparent branding of Palin than by her misunderstanding of Colonial history. When looking at the shirt she is wearing she is sporting the TLC logo. Our presidential candidates should not look like NASCAR drivers.

The war in Afghanistan is difficult to understand. The war is not being waged the right way. I am not saying that the war is wrong or right. I am however saying that it is not being correctly focused. The Taliban have such a strong influence in the country not because of their religious nature or their military might; they have sway because they bring stability. Many, especially westerners, believe that the Taliban are of the same cloth as the Afghans, that this is somehow portrayed as coalition forces are the outsiders or invaders. This is not entirely the case. Yes the coalition is occupying the country, but the Taliban are no different. They have their roots in Pakistan. They occupied the country during the power vacuum following the Russian war. The citizens of Afghanistan will back whoever provides stability.

A serious look into the causation of the war in Afghanistan needs to focus on the regions history and geographic importance.

In ancient times, Afghanistan had an important place in geography. The ancient “silk road” bisected what would become the country making the area strategically important based on commerce. It is not that different today. A country to the north of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, is rich in oil and gas. The Uzbek government is clawing to further develop their output supply. Western companies such as Baker Hughes, Trinity Energy, and Unocal (Hamid Karzi’s previous employer) are spurring this on. Uzbekistan’s energy quandary lies in its land-locked geography. To the north lays Russia with an insatiable thirst for energy, to the south, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and then the sea.

The Taliban have come the opposite direction. From religious schools in Pakistan, the Taliban grew. They infiltrated into Afghanistan to fight the Russians. There they stayed, filling the vacuum. They moved forward, ever north, into Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan where they have a growing presence.

Now many believe that the important geography is where the oil is. I, on the other hand, believe that the important geography is where the oil is going, and more importantly, how is it getting there. This is where Afghanistan takes its place in the center of regional geography. We must ask the question, Where do we want the oil to go from the land locked “Stans?” There are two possible directions, one is to Russia and the other is to the sea through Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This history shows how important Afghanistan is to not only the west but also the world. It is a barren patch of earth that has been fought over for all of history.

In light of this it is my opinion that Afghanistan must be won. However, I do not believe that military muscle will ever win Afghanistan. We must reduce overt western presence in the country, pour money into infrastructure, make real partners of the Afghan people, and help them to help themselves. This can be done, and is being done on a smaller scale already. There are a host of USG agencies working on improvement projects however the security situation is not stable enough for them to make a significant impact. So my plan, if I were the boss, would be to:
1. Surge forces into the country and focus on the less permissive areas.
2. Take and hold land by using the Afghan security forces with coalition quick reaction forces nearby
3. Focus on schools, roads and bridges.
4. Make agreements with host nation contractors as opposed to bringing in foreign companies.
5. Reduce overall military presence.
6. Push USG and humanitarian agencies into the country.
7. Get the pipeline built crossing from the north to Pakistan and make sure the proceeds go to Afghans.
8. Be prepared to have a military presence in Afghanistan for years.

Rick Schumacher is a combat veteran who has deployed to many regions throughout the world as a Psychological Operations team leader. In this role, he has become very familiar with the cultural, historical, and economical factors of many regions; notably Iraq and Afghanistan.