Link.

He's contradicting himself in this statement, though: while he thinks (and is probably right) that throwing more resources at the military in Afghanistan will not be a solution, he also seems to be thinking that throwing more money at education will be a solution.

I also wonder if throwing money at education can be successful (the way it might be in other countries) in a country where there's a powerful group that'll burn down your schools at will.

Twenty schools won't matter if you're unable to protect the students trying to attend those schools.

Hey, let's try this!

Give me all the 18-25 year olds we're sending overseas, PLUS the million-per each day to put them there, and I'll create the greatest infrastructure army for our own country this nation has ever seen.

20 schools there or a health clinic here.

‘Three Cups of Tea’ advice for Obama

Greg Mortenson, a mountain-climber who fell in love with Afghanistan after villagers nursed him back to health when he becmae injured and separated from his group, has established 130 schools across the country.

Mortenson is in a unique position of being trusted by people on almost all sides, from the government to US troops to mujahideen. He is actually hopeful about Afghanistan and says the current surge will emphasize nation-building/community-building skills. He believes the shura -- tribal councillors and leading villagers -- need to be consulted more.

trusted by people on almost all sides, from the government to US troops to mujahideen

It is true, but the problem is the "almost" - the Taliban and their kin are not included. The hardcore Islamists are not much liked outside of their Pashtun tribal areas, but they are supposedly backed by Allah and it is therefore difficult to engage them in debate.

They do not like schools aside from their own controlled madrassas / brain washing facilities. People are in very real danger outside of Kabul for doing things like studying English, being literate in any language aside from the Arabic of the Holy Koran, or, for girls, attending school at all.

So yeah, this guy has managed to open schools, but it is not like this is an already solved problem if we just started doing like him.