Continued.....
Suggest that the Taliban is not ISIL; nor Al Queda - it controls more than 50% of Afghanistan now.  The UN has pulled out of the country;  NATO under US pressure waxes and wanes in support.  There is no mention by MSW or these commenters about on-going mediation/talks with the Taliban.  Suggest that the Taliban are local, closer to the Viet Cong in nature and that this is the avenue for future developments (not stop gap military increases).  The past and current Afghan government is rife with corruption which we enable. After $1 trillion and 2400 deaths/20,000+ wounded - why continue a losing pattern?
Pakistan - US has learned to live with a dysfunctional/nuclear nation - wonder if Trump has now poked the bear?
India - talk about inciting and injecting even more instability into this equation.
Rather - efforts need to be in support of UN efforts to work with the Taliban and Pakistan.  Not an all but go it alone US military approach (that is less than transparent)