James B. Cunningham: “A flawed deal on withdrawal of U.S. forces--one not grounded in the context of an actual peace agreement--risks the…”

They want us out. They will be willing to do what is necessary to get us out.

I do not think there is a strategy of attrition or withdrawal that will work in any timeframe that we would want to see, certainly.

The test will be whether Pakistan takes concrete actions not only to support reconciliation, but to reduce the ability of the Taliban and the Haqqani network to plan and launch operations from Pakistan.

Experience teaches that ideology cannot be defeated militarily, although military force must be an instrument.