American taxpayers have inadvertently created a network of warlords across Afghanistan who are making millions of dollars escorting NATO convoys and operating outside the control of either the Afghan government or the American and NATO militaries, according to the results of a Congressional investigation released Monday.
Would it be better to fight through every ambush, suffering casualties? This is hardly ideal, but paying off guys just in it for the money so we can get supplies to our troops to kill actual enemies seems like a good idea. I'm worried enough about having so many troops in Afghanistan at the end of long and tenuous supply lines without shutting off a method that is working to keep the supplies moving.
Eventually, if we can secure supply lines with other means, we can cut off the warlords and be none the worse for wear. But why complain about this if we don't have a good alternative?
Money is a weapon--use it.
