U.S.: Military Force Not Enough to Beat Taliban

So now we know about Afghanistan what we've known about Iraq, there can be no military victory. With weak and divided governments, and a hostile population, the prospect of victory against the enemy is unlikely. Don't try telling Bush that:

Military force alone is unlikely to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan, a top U.S. commander said Thursday, noting that most insurgencies end with a political solution.

Maj. Gen. Robert Cone, who is in charge of equipping and training Afghan security forces to take over from international troops, said the local units were making good progress, but declined to say when they would be strong enough to allow foreign forces to go home.

Violence is soaring in Afghanistan despite years of counter-insurgency operations by international troops and millions of dollars spent in equipping the country's army and police units.

Cone cautioned that military force alone would likely not be enough to beat the Taliban and other militants battling foreign and Afghan government troops.