In Afghanistan we need to be meaner than the Taliban in order to win the war

I was watching the Taylor-Pavlik boxing match the other day. The two fighters were pretty evenly matched and were respectful of each other, so after each round they would touch gloves to show their mutual admiration.

Finally, Kelly Pavlik went back to his corner and his trainer said, (I disremember the exact words but here's the essence) "Stop this touching gloves bullshit. He's making you like him, stop that shit. You don't need to be friendly with him, you need to get out there and beat his ass."

He was right. The general Afghan population is more frightened of the Taliban than they are of us. Why? Because we are too nice that's why. We need to make the Afghans more frightened of us than they are of the Taliban. A lot of them are sure that the lefties will make us pull out of Afghanistan and they will be left with the Taliban who will accuse them of aiding the US and execute them and their family members.

Right now if they don't aid us, they have little to fear from us. We need to make them afraid to support the Taliban and afraid to cross the US. Americans always want to be liked, it's a stupid and self defeating desire.