I caught up with Michael Yon as he was in transit from Afghanistan to a free-lance investigative probe in Nepal, and got an update on the status of the Af-Pak theater.  It’s going “very poorly,” Yon says, and the coalition is “on the brink” of collapse.  This is a hundred-years war if we plan on winning it, but the decision has to be made.  The public vacillation has damaged our standing in Afghanistan with the locals and our coalition partners.

Yon also talks about the nature of the Taliban and their role in settling tribal disputes, especially with the Pashtun tribes.  What is the Taliban, after all?  Would 50,000 more troops actually be enough?  Don’t miss a minute of this interview — and don’t forget to contribute to Michael’s tipjar.  He maintains his ability to report from the front almost entirely on reader contributions.