We are not fighting Afghans in Afghanistan. Other than we seem to be fighting with ourselves, it is crazy to think that there is a war to be won there. Afghanistan is the setting and serves no more than being a chess board on which we and the opposition move pieces.
It used to be a worthless chess board, played on many times with no one the better for it. Now it is loaded with lithium and rare metals and suddenly valuable real estate.
Don't think for a moment that McChrystal, the ramping up, etc., and in particular "counter insurgency" (keeping other players off the chess board) isn't linked to a trillon dollar mineral find.