.@mehdirhasan: Why should thousands of US troops stay in Afghanistan indefinitely, or even a few more months, to fight an unwinnable war with the Taliban on behalf of people who aren't interested in fighting it? @EliLake: Because a stalemate is preferable to a Taliban takeover.

Mehdi: "Why should we believe [the generals] when they now try and corner a fourth president into staying for 'just a few more years! Victory is just around the corner!'?" Eli: "Well, I didn't say victory. I said stalemate."