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You're not going to fight an insurgency from the air unless you're actually willing to flat out kill everyone you see moving. Chemical weapons would probably be convenient for that strategy as well. Of course we could never get away with using such tactics.
The problem right now in my eye's, is that people seem to only understand two strategies here. Psychopathic and indiscriminate bombing of everything in a phallic display of our cock size. Or naively wimpy idea that by just treating the random Afghani villagers nicely they'll help us beat the Taliban.
The first strategy really only works if you're willing to deliberately wipe out a significant fraction of the population. Ignoring the moral implications of doing this, it's not viable due how easily information is transmitted in the modern era. The second doesn't work because no matter how nicely I treat someone, I'm pretty damn naive to think that will be enough to get them to not cooperate with the thugs with guns who show up when I'm not there.
All successful COINOP's have had controlling the population which the Guerrilla's hide in as a key factor to their success. Not bombing them from a distance. Not walking in, building a road, kissing some babies and leaving. But actually maintaining an active presence amongst the civilians.
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