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Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers
Do you believe that you have enough successes to carry on your momentum? Or do you believe you have to redefine your efforts? These are serious questions.
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None of the answers to those questions would satisfy you- because they would be approached under a different set of dynamics than what NATO faces in Afghanistan - and I am not referring to the purely military aspect of this conflict.
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The 1st piece of good news I have heard in a long time. I applaud your victory but one victory does not make a war won.
The question I have is would you, as in the Pak popular opinion, change their minds if one set back occurred ... or are you now determined to carry through ... at least now, is your army determined to carry through ... because right now, the performance has been pokey dot.
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I think we have had more than one "set back", and "popular" Pakistani opinion has its own dynamics, with which us "enlightened Pakistanis" express our frustration quite vehemently - but at the end of the day, it is about what the "democratically chosen popular opinion" wants is it not? For that is exactly what your media and Governments repeatedly reminds us is best for us and shove down our throats. So let the chips of "popular opinion" fall where they may.
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I don't want to present NATO's side of the story, mainly because I remembered the Soviet's side of the story. The Soviets did the exact same things we're doing. The only difference is that we seemingly have better support from the Afghan populace. If, and I emphasized IF, that is true, than that is the story that I want to present ... and according to the ECONOMIST, we have 70% support.
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Most Pakistanis do equate the NATO presence with the Soviets, and arrive at the same conclusion - that atrocities galore are being committed, that NATO has no local support, and will eventually lose and be driven out. If your side cannot be bothered to explain its side of the story, then there is no need to complain about the mis-perceptions on our side. Is the "winning hearts and minds" effort faltering already?