"as far as the comment about attrition: even with a 20:1 loss ratio
the ratio doesnt matter so much as how willing a nation is to take that loss.."

Now that I sort of like, I also liked the reference to Vietnam. Things depend on "how willing a nation is to take that loss.." - The US were comprehensively defeated in Vietnam because of the following:

- The folks back home did not have the will
- The war was being fought with completely disinterested conscripts, who were being poorly led.
- No appreciation of culture and people or application of "Hearts and Minds".

Now as far as Afghanistan goes:

- Within the current Administration and in either prospective administration come January 2009 I believe that the will is there. In the case of Obama if he follows his plans for a precipitate withdrawal from Iraq he'd better concentrate on Afghanistan because whoever finds themselves there after the US quits Iraq "a-la-Obama" plan is going to face a storm.

- The war is being fought by highly trained thoroughly motivated professionals who are inflicting serious losses on their enemies and have been doing so for the last seven years. This is unlike the Russian incursion, they like the US in Vietnam used a conscript army that was poorly equipped, lacked any motivation at all and who were appallingly poorly led - It completely exploded the myth of the invincibility of the "Red Army".

- Massive aid and reconstruction will improve the lot of the Afghan people, right now they are a damn sight better off than they have been at any time in the last 30 years and things are only going to improve for them.