re: #10 Desert Dog

Can we really expect to see a strong national government in a place where tribalism is still stronger than nationalism?

You are dialed into this area, what do you think the USA should do to foster more good will from the local chieftains. That is the real power there, isn’t it?

I don’t claim to be any kind of Afghanistan expert, but isn’t a heavily tribalized place ideal ground for a federalist system? They should be able to take to the idea fairly easily, without a lot of cultural dislocation.

Let the central government be responsible for just enough useful things that the states/districts/whatever they’re called don’t want to kick them in the teeth. Starting with… roads would be good. And maybe electricity. And telephones.