Will an Afghan Surge Work? Skeptics See Trouble

McCain and Obama rarely agree on foreign policy, but both are pushing for a mini-surge of about 10,000 troops in Afghanistan to rein in the Taliban. Will the Iraq model work here? The mountainous terrain, raging US suspicion, a porous border with Pakistan, and the challenge of telling apart homegrown militants from civilians raise serious questions, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Analysts say Afghanistan’s insurgency is different from Iraq’s. Here, the insurgency is more rural, recruits are easier to find, and winning over the Pashtuns has proved a challenge. Applying Iraq’s surge tactics may even backfire. "If they put more US troops in my village, there will be more bloodshed," says an Afghani from a province bordering Kabul. (More Afghanistan war stories.)