The blood soaked land of Afghanistan

http://www.upiasia.com/Emerging_Threats/2009/09/29/McChrystal-report-sets-off-debate/UPI-10081254237531/

Quote from the article;
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking to CNN's "State of the Union," disagreed with setting a timetable for exit from Afghanistan.
"(The) Taliban and al-Qaida, as far as they're concerned, defeated one superpower (the Soviet Union). For them to be seen to defeat a second, I think, would have catastrophic consequences in terms of energizing the extremist movement, al-Qaida recruitment, operations, fundraising, and so on. I think it would be a huge setback for the United States."
On troop additions, the secretary said, "Once we're confident we have the strategy right, then -- then we'll address the question of additional resources."
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It is said that generals are always fighting the last war. which in this case would be Vietnam. In the most recent issue of THE NEW YORKER, there is an article about Richard Holbrooke, Obama's man in Afghanistan. He makes many references to his time in Vietnam. Should his advice be heeded? Will history tell another sad story of death and defeat? Stay tuned.

We are in the strange situation of having helped empower the Taliban to make trouble for the Russians, and now we are fighting them. "The evil that men do lives after them. The good is oft interred with there bones". Shakespeare. Will it be the blood and bones of our soldiers interred in the rocky landscape of Afghanistan, as it was with the Russians? We lost 50,000 plus troops in Vietnam, and were driven out. Will Afghanistan be different? I hope I'm wrong, but I find it difficult to imagine any good outcome to this misbegotten adventure.