Drone On

The biggest problem with the drones is that they are not dropping nuclear weapons, the second biggest problem is that they are not dropping nuclear weapons on the largest populated areas!

"It would be much better if the Pakistani agencies were launching these counterterrorist operations as part of a wider operation to win hearts and minds."
Yes, indeed. The problem however is that they are not launching any such operations because they sympathize with the Taliban and use them to their own ends.
One potential use of the Taliban and their supporters is against India. Another is to use them to destabilize Afghanistan and finally, they can be used to pressure the US government to give Pakistan military and civilian aid.

The moderate, democratic nation of Pakistan which is our ally has not invited American troops on her soil. Pakistan is under attack by radical Islamic aggressors, most visibly the Taliban, who are attempting to overthrow the government and impose an Islamic dictatorship. America's options are limitied. We can do nothing and permit the same terrorist gangs we are battling in Afghanistan to find safe haven in Pakistan. Or America can, with decent intelligence, fight these monsters from the air. We are not carpet bombing Dresden. We operate with great caution and skill to avoid civilian casualties as much as possible. We are fighting sadistic thugs who dismember their victims, who blow up schools, who explode bombs in markets to maximize casualties, who slaughter their captives, who use innocent men, women and children as human shields. Should we cut off their financial support from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arab states? Should we cut off their drug dealing? Should we cut off their flow of arms much of which comes from places where we have influence. Yes, of course, we should do all of that. But America needs to keep the Islamo-fascists on the defensive and on the run. And in Pakistan we can do it from the air.

Lol, yes, lets give the Taliban a monthly stipend. The interviewee is contradicting himself. He claims that Afghanistan and Pakistan are two different situations, yet is trying to justify giving Pakistan "soft support" by treating like Iraq's Awakening Council.

Assuming that we give a stipend or aid to the Taliban, how would we guarantee that they won't keep expanding their operations? Remember the enforcement of Islamic Sharia in the tribal regions of Pakistan? That didn't appease the Taliban, did it? In fact, it encouraged them, did it not?

It's clear that this person has absolutely no understanding of "soft power" or any civil affairs type approach. He is rhetorical in nature, and nothing else.