Our effort in Afghanistan makes no sense

Four American soldiers serving with NATO forces in Afghanistan died Monday in an explosion in the country's south, NATO and a defense department official said.

The soldiers were hit by an improvised explosive device, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The latest deaths make a total of 16 NATO service members killed so far this month, and 167 so far this year.

Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, who is in charge of NATO's joint command, predicted Monday that violence would increase this summer as the Taliban try to retake territory they lost in southern Kandahar and southwestern Helmand provinces in the past year.

The Taliban recently launched a long-promised spring offensive and have carried out attacks in the southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan. The Taliban and other insurgent groups retain bases in safe havens across the border in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/16/MNS41JGQM6.DTL

After the Taliban is done killing American soldiers from its safe havens in the territory of our supposed friend and ally Pakistan, we will reach a settlement with the Taliban and turn Afghanistan over to them.