The Taliban in Pakistan:

There has been a lot of good information coming forth in this thread about the background to the war being conducted on the Pakistani - Afghanistani border. Getting back to the original report that this thread is about, it concerns me that whatever the murky beginnings, this thing is getting much worse. I worry about the long term.

While there have always been a mix of forces in the area, we are seeing a galvanization now of the people around who the west sees as enemy. If the US wanted to weaken the taliban they have in fact made them stronger and more popular amongst the locals. That wouldn't have happened if the US wasn't using drones that kill large numbers of people, most of whom probably were not combatants. They are using aerial bombing to save US soldiers but lay waste the lives of lots of families and children along with the few insurgents or fighters.

Bad enough that the motives are questionable, the horrible tactics are making the larger picture bleaker. Instead of winning over the people, we are giving them cause to hate us. This strategy is going to lead us to a more dangerous situation as time goes on.

Who is happy about this? Someone with power is, else it wouldn't be happening.