Comments on: Grist for the Mill – Score, Cycles, and Roxana of Bactria http://www.3sigma.com/grist-for-the-mill/ Surfing the brink of chaos Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:47:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Critical Thinker http://www.3sigma.com/grist-for-the-mill/comment-page-1/#comment-347 Critical Thinker Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:16:57 +0000 http://www.3sigma.com/?p=2589#comment-347 Like I said to my friend Greg, short of annihilation or perpetual martial occupation, which is probably your idea of winning, it is not the style of war making by which an invader can prevail in the region. The outsider can only gain influence by creating the perception that there is a substantive alignment of interests, guaranteed in relations of honor and enforced by a code of ruthless vendetta. The rise of the Taliban following the departure of the USSR was no different in this regard, as was the limited accommodation afforded Alkida. I have said this from the beginning. We should have addressed our beef with Alkida by investing in gracefully stealthy efforts toward honorably ruthless revenge-taking. Had we done so, our gains by such action would have extended well beyond simple satisfaction. Having failed to act honorably, we have come to be regarded as oafish sissies and fools. Like I said to my friend Greg, short of annihilation or perpetual martial occupation, which is probably your idea of winning, it is not the style of war making by which an invader can prevail in the region. The outsider can only gain influence by creating the perception that there is a substantive alignment of interests, guaranteed in relations of honor and enforced by a code of ruthless vendetta. The rise of the Taliban following the departure of the USSR was no different in this regard, as was the limited accommodation afforded Alkida.

I have said this from the beginning. We should have addressed our beef with Alkida by investing in gracefully stealthy efforts toward honorably ruthless revenge-taking. Had we done so, our gains by such action would have extended well beyond simple satisfaction. Having failed to act honorably, we have come to be regarded as oafish sissies and fools.

]]> By: Defender http://www.3sigma.com/grist-for-the-mill/comment-page-1/#comment-346 Defender Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:14:32 +0000 http://www.3sigma.com/?p=2589#comment-346 Don't you know anything? Everything goes in cycles. History is repeating itself right now. Obama is afraid to go all out in Afghanistan and kick some you know what! Just like in Viet Nam. You godless liberal commies are such sissies! Don’t you know anything? Everything goes in cycles. History is repeating itself right now. Obama is afraid to go all out in Afghanistan and kick some you know what! Just like in Viet Nam. You godless liberal commies are such sissies!

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