Is War with Afghanistan the Best Approach?

The first question is: can we win? The evidence seems to suggest that we won't. The FATA (the mountainous border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan) are largely ungovernable, and answer not to Kabul or Islamabad but only to their local warlords. Historically and currently, this area has been a haven for members of both the Taliban and Al Qaeda. These areas contain the largest illegal arms market in the world, and are inhabited by the men who have been living by tribal customs for centuries, who can make guns with their bare hands in caves. These areas are barren, and some of the poorest in the world in terms of both money and natural resources. It is questionable whether or not the U.S. and Pakistani forces being sent in to combat them are up to the task. The Soviets learned the hard war back in the 1980s that it is virtually impossible to beat them, and we may make the same mistake. It seems that the main thing that can change in this area is our response to it, not the area itself. It seems wiser to work with them, not against them. Negotiations with local tribal leaders will probably be more effective than outright war and bombing with the entire nation. Though the U.S. did achieve some success in ousting the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, it seems they have simply migrated into Pakistan, where they are regrouping and becoming stronger than ever. The Pakistani army is having some success in combating them, but there is still disturbing evidence of the Taliban taking over more and more chunks of Pakistani territory, and inching ever closer to Islamabad. As A.Q. Kahn nuclearized the Pakistani central government, it is truly terrifying to consider the consequences of Pakistan's falling to the Taliban. A "nuclear Jihad" would be likely. Also, the U.S. would have no base/support from which to attack Afghanistan: only a small base in Uzbekistan. We need a policy that takes all of this into account: simply bombing large chunks of Afghanistan is not gonna cut it. We need a comprehensive policy that includes Pakistan, and India as well as Afghanistan that emphasizes negotiation as opposed to combat. It is essential to keep in mind that Al Qaeda and the other terrorist groups (Taliban included) are not loyal to any state: they operate as stateless networks, and they answer to no one. They cross borders with ease, as evidenced by the Pakistan situation. If our goal is to eliminate the Taliban, then we must think about the issue in this way. War with Afghanistan may weaken the Taliban, but it is not a permanent solution. We need to work with other nations, not against them, and come together with multilateral action if we have any hope of success.