"But the biggest problem in Afghanistan, as always, is tribalism. Many of the US-raised Afghan army troops are minority Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Hazara who used to collaborate with the Soviets. They are scorned by the majority Pashtun tribes as enemies and traitors. These US-paid troops also know they will face death when the US and its western allies eventually quit Afghanistan." - Margolis

What Margolis doesn't go on to say is that those minority groups together form the majority of the population of Afghanistan (some 58%) whereas the Pashtun tribes only form a minority 42% of the population. Another interesting omission by Mr.Margolis is that the most successful Mujahideen fighters were Tajiks; Uzbeks and Hazara, the misrepresentation he tries to get away with were that all Tajiks; Uzbeks and Hazara were collaborators they were not.

He also makes the mistake of presenting the Pashtuns as a block, they are not the two main tribes the Durrani and the Ghalzai have been fighting each other for centuries.

"The current Afghan Army and police, like the post-Saddam Iraqi Army, is led by white officers – in this case, Americans designated "trainers" or "advisors." Its ranks are heavily infiltrated by Taliban supporters, as was the case during the Soviet occupation. Every new American search and destroy mission in Afghanistan is telegraphed well in advance to Taliban and its nationalist allies." – Margolis

Factually incorrect and the:

"It's ranks are heavily infiltrated by Taliban supporters, as was the case during the Soviet occupation."

Is laughable, the Taliban did not come into existence until five years after the Soviets left Afghanistan.

ANA units operate under Afghan Officers, the ANA currently has a strength of 94,000 men and the intention is to increase this to 134,000. The ANA take part in 90% of all ISAF Operations within the country and take the lead role in 62% of those operations.

The main US effort in Afghanistan is under the banner of a thing called US-Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan their operations two weeks ago couldn't have run as Mr Margolis stated over 96 Taleban killed in two incidents. Who by the bye are the "nationalist allies" of the Taleban??

Loved this bit:

"Afghanistan keeps giving me déjà vu back to the old British Indian Raj, and flashbacks to those wonderful epic films of the Raj, "Drums," "Lives of a Bengal Lancer," and "Kim." The British imperialists did it much, much better, and with a lot more style.   

In the end, Britain's imperial army in Afghanistan was whipped and fled for its life. Every British schoolchild knows Lady Butler memorable and terrifying painting of the lone British survivor escaping from Afghanistan: `The Retreat from Kabul.'"

Unfortunately for Mr. Margolis and all those British Schoolchildren Lady Butler's painting was only that – a painting.

So Britain's Imperial Army in Afghanistan was whipped and fled for it's life did it?? How come then that all British Strategic aims with regard to Afghanistan were 100% successful during the period 1839 to 1919. Oh, of course Mr.Margolis does not go into the Second and Third Afghan Wars.