Erratic Afghan Forces?

Erratic Afghan Forces Pose Challenge to U.S. Goals - C.J. Chivers, NYT

While some of the problems are with Afghan forces, the end of Chivers' report was the most insightful - about cold weather gear and ammunition.

The first point is that supplying the military and neglecting the rest of the population is unsustainable. These guys pass it along because their families freeze, and because they've been embroiled in a civil war for the past decade.

Point two is that Afghanistan is not just a way to clean up and organize a nation's surplus goods. Long-term, sustained commitment is the best way out, and most of that time will not be a civil war - there will be a tipping point where the Taliban filters out and society starts on the long, slow path to (relatively more) integration and sustainability.