A few years, hopefully

SecDef Gates put on his optimist hat the other day and said the US and NATO would defeat the Taliban and al-Qaida in 'a few years'. That contradicts Britain's incoming Chief of Staff, that gloomy Gus said that military operations might continue for 40 more years, getting close to an even half century.

Meanwhile, as the happy talk goes on, Afghanistan is ramping up for the elections. As M K Bhadrakumar points out, the US, through its willing if not able agents in the press has come out for anyone but Karzai. He quotes this commentary:

With many Afghans expressing disappointment with the inefficiency and corruption that has plagued Karzai's government, Abdullah is running under a banner of "hope and change" and remains adamant he can turn things around ... Abdullah projects the image of a modern Afghan at ease with his "jihadi" past and integration into the modern world. People who worked closely with him praise his leadership and diplomatic skills ... On the back of a formidable political machine, Abdullah is considered to be the man with the best chance ... to force a runoff with Karzai.

Hope and change, have I heard that before?