this will be a very important test case to find out if the new u.s. strategy will work. and, peter, how tough are the rules of engagement? we ve heard complaints from some marines about, look, you know, the idea here is protecting civilians. civilians are actually the goal here. not so much the town, itself, or any amount of land. it s protecting civilians and showing they re a priority. yet, that also makes for, i mean, it makes it difficult to fight because inevitably, you know, there s going to be civilian casualties. well, there have been two the last year or so, general mckiernan before general mcchrystal and now general mcchrystal. they keep tightening up the rules of engagement making it harder and harder to call in air strikes which is absolutely imperative. the issue that most angers afghans is afghan civilian casualties. that s something that drives them ballistic. we ve had because of the lack of boots on the ground in afghanistan, there s been an overreliance on air s
to find an exit strategy out of afghanistan. this is the kind of plan that should have been tried a long time ago. it s taken eight years to recognize that you need something beyond just the physical elimination of your military opposition. you have to create an alternative economically for the people on the ground so that they support the national government. and so this is a beginning. this will be a very important test case to find out if the new u.s. strategy will work. and, peter, how tough are the rules of engagement? we ve heard complaints from some marines about, look, you know, the idea here is protecting civilians. civilians are actually the goal here. not so much the town, itself, or any amount of land. it s protecting civilians and showing they re a priority. yet, that also makes for, i mean, it makes it difficult to fight because inevitably, you know, there s going to be civilian casualties. well, there have been two the last year or so, general mckiernan before genera
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