What do we want? How do we get it? 

[First!]

Kudos to the Navy SEALs and the President for authorising the operation. (Didn't the SEALs capture Somali Pirates? Didn't the President authorise that operation?) Nice thing about a Democrat. The Democrat can do what a Republican can't do. Actually do something about something without being criticised by the Democrats.  Again, Hooray for the SEALs!  Slim  Actions speak louder than words. US/Pakistan alliance affirmed! "Whatever Congressmen have to say when the cameras are rolling isn't worth listening to" The Quotations of Slim Fairview.  Now on to Afghanistan.   What do we want? How do we get it?  The issue of Afghanistan references my comments on the world relying on the Zero Sum Game approach to future planning.  It is easy to ask, "What do the Afghan people want?" However, different people in Afghanistan may have different agendas and goals. It is not sufficient to say, "What do we want, when do we want it?" The real issue is "What do we want, how are we going to get it?" Then you must add, "What do we have to give to get it?" Other Afghans have goals. Some are mutually exclusive. The Win-Win platitude is great. However, for both sides to get something, each side must give up something.  The question also relies on issues I’ve raised in my monograph, “The Impending Failure of Western Diplomacy in the Middle East.  Essential reading:  http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/the-impendi...  And a viewing of my SlideShare ppt. presentation  The Future of the G 20 in Good Times and Bad  http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/the-g-20-in...  

Old Chinese Saying--A white horse is not a horse.  Chinese Wisdom: In the West, when you want privacy, you go into a lock room. In the East, when we want privacy, we go into an open field.  Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Santayana  Those who never learned history are doomed—period. Slim Fairview From: The Quotations of Slim Fairview © 2011 Slim Fairview  Warmest regards,  Slim  Mail: slimfairview@yahoo.com  Copyright © 2011 Slim Fairview