Should We Leave the Pech Valley in RC-East?

A video is circulating around the blogs about the upcoming decision on whether to withdraw from the Pech River Valley in RC-East (Afghanistan).  James Foley of Global Post interviewed members of a battalion from the 101st Airborne Division on the merits of the U.S. military staying in the Pech River Valley.  Some members of the battalion believe that the presence of U.S. forces provide a common enemy for the various anti-government forces to come together against - giving them a unity of effort and a reason for existance.  The Pech River Valley is sparsely populated and the value of "owning" the valley is in question.  If the military were to secure the valley it certainly would be a modest military gain but would come at a high cost utilizing resources that might be more valuable elsewhere in Afghanistan.  It would appear that much of the valley will be left to the Taliban as early as May 2011 when the battalion pulls out - putting into the question the work and effort (and lives) expended thus far by U.S. military members.  It is possible that the Afghan security forces would remain to secure the valley - but . . . .   Click on the link below to view the video.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/afghanistan/110103/afghanistan-war-video-pech-valley