We do that first of all by supporting the Afghans, because we are in their country; it's their political process. They've built the political process based on the constitution they developed and they're working through it. As the President works through the Governor of Kandahar, with the Government of Kandahar province specifically, they help define those who are coming into the political process and those, like the Taliban, whatever tribe they may come from or whatever region they come from, who don't want to go on the political process and want to use violence. By working with the Afghan National Army, a most professional organization being developed at a very rapid pace, and picking up a possibly increasing percentage of the security duties; by working with the Afghan National Police, but specifically by working with the government institutions in Afghanistan, we help support them in the delineation of who is helping build the political process and who is coming at it violently. If somebody is coming at it violently, we help them mitigate that threat, neutralize that threat, reduce that threat, and at the same time assist in accelerating parts of the reconstruction and the development of government capacity.
We are always extremely careful during combat operations. First, we don't conduct operations unless there's a need to. Second, we don't conduct them unless there is a very real threat to life and limb for Afghans, us, or other members of the international community. Third, when we do them, we do them with a very precise targeting, in conjunction with Afghan forces, to make sure that collateral effects--driving people away from their homes, destroying homes, etc.--are reduced to the absolute minimum, and we only have to do that kind of thing or even get engaged in it if the Taliban forces it in a region.
As an example, during Operation Medusa in the Panjwai, the destruction that was caused in some of the villages there, and the folks who were forced to leave because they did not consider it secure enough to stay, that occurred because the Taliban came into the area, used violence--