How To Win In Afghanistan

A Pashtun member of Mr. Ludin's militia manned a checkpoint in Khanabad.
Moises Saman for The New York Times

Afghans Answering The Call To Fight -- New York Times

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan — Bakhtiar Ludin looks like a rogue, with a roughly tied checkered scarf for a turban, a Kalashnikov and a band of similarly tough, armed men for company.

But much of the hopes of Afghan and American officials to turn around the eight-year war here rests with him and those like him.

Mr. Ludin and his band are part of a push to raise local militias to help stop the Taliban from spreading to new areas, like here in the north, where the insurgents advanced quickly in the past 18 months.

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My Comment: The only way that we can win this war is if we have enough boots on the ground to monitor, deny, and intercept the enemy from the territory that they wish to operate in. Having militias will assist everyone in accomplishing this objective. Unfortunately, all of these efforts take time, and with a U.S. deadline for departure now imposed on Afghanistan .... the question that concerns everyone is the following .... is there enough time to accomplish the mission?