The U.S. says Afghan troop increase useless without more Pakistan help. Question: If you’re trying to smoke out a group like the Taliban, do you focus on one country when they’re clearly seeping into another one? Of course not. Which is why the U.S. is trying to increase pressure on Pakistan, sending Gen. James L. Jones (along with a sternly-written letter) to make a case for an expanded effort. In fact, some officials advocating minimal troop increases suggest that it’s merely a matter of keeping the Taliban smoked out near Pakistan. We’ll see. source