we've failed for 19 years, because we've never fully committed to one position or the other. If we decided to say the hell with it and pull out, we could have done that any time in the last 10 years certainly, maybe longer. Conversely, if the idea is to leave Afghanistan better than we found it, then we have to be willing to break some eggs and basically take over the country for some time. We did that half-assedly, and now, starting that tact over isn't going to play well anywhere.

Our best hope at this point is probably to commit to helping the Afghan government strong arm the Taliban into a negotiation between the two of them. A win-win solution probably not possible. Either push the Taliban into a deal they can live with or get out all together.