This Can't Help But End Well

O fortunate coalition citizens, your supervisors have taxed you -- or borrowed in your kids' and grandkids' names -- to finance the killing of plenty of those swarthy Af-Paks and a few other sorts of insignificant wogs. In some cases, they've killed or maimed your kin to accomplish ... well, whatever it was that they were supposedly trying to accomplish, and have manifestly failed at. Now, get ready to pony up some more cash credit. They're trying bribery:

Anders Fogh Rasmussen said it was necessary to "establish a trust to finance the reintegration programme" that would persuade the militants to lay down their weapons.

The Afghan president Hamid Karzai, who will pledge to tackle government corruption, will present a plan to reconcile senior Taliban leaders at tomorrow's meeting.

But the proposals will require huge amounts of money to pay for new jobs, pensions, land and even fund the relocation of senior militants abroad.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mr Rasmussen said: "This will have financial implications and without assistance from international community it will not be possible to accomplish that programme.

Asked if this was to raise millions of dollars to pay off the Taliban he said: "I will put it another way. We need funds to provide people with better alternatives for a fruitful occupation rather than fighting for the Taliban.

"Call it promotion of economic opportunity for people in Afghanistan, creation of new jobs."

His comments come the day after the commander in Afghanistan Gen Stanley McChrystal said it was "inevitable" that talks would open with the Taliban once the current surge of an extra 30,000 American troops and 7,000 other Nato personnel forced them to the negotiating table.

Chancellor Angela Merkel also announced that Germany would increase its troops by 500 as it moves to step up training of local security forces.

Hey, I've got an alternative to offer: how about we just get the hell out, post haste, leaving a sincere note of apology and a promise not to return?

Nah ... on second thought, let's just trust our Leaders. They're really smart, they know so many things that -- for good reason! -- they can't really share with us, and they're good, good people. I'm sure it'll all work out just fine.