In fact, it was President Hamid Karzai who publicized the otherwise little noted Koran burning in Florida, which lead to deadly riots across Afghanistan. A government supporter tried to explain away the killings of several UN employees in the otherwise largely peaceful city of Mazar-e-Sharif as not being anti-Western, but just reflecting natural Afghan hostility towards non-Muslims generally, including the Soviets. His explanation was hardly reassuring.

The Taliban still isn’t popular. However, many Afghans divide the insurgents into “good Taliban” and “bad Taliban” and are ready to deal with the former.

A deal would appear to be the best of a bad set of options. The late Richard Holbrooke hoped to negotiate, but Gen. David Petraeus “was looking for something closer to a surrender than a negotiation from the Taliban, and his remains the default position in the Obama administration,” complained Time columnist Joe Klein. Other officials don’t want to talk until the United States has established clear military advantage—but what if the Taliban adopts the same strategy?

Any deal would inevitably involve compromise. America’s bottom line should be simple: no hosting terrorists. The best outcome might be a highly federal system in which the Taliban likely would rule areas of Pashtun dominance. Liberties respected would vary by region, which would not always be to America’s taste.

It would be a sad outcome. But Americans are not dying in Afghanistan today to protect America. To the contrary, the ongoing war creates more enemies and terrorists, while undermining neighboring Pakistan. No wonder a new poll showed six of ten Americans believe that the United States “has accomplished its mission in Afghanistan and should bring its troops home.” In March two-thirds of Americans opined that the war had not been worth fighting.

Leaving may not be good, but it would be far better than staying. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said “our resolve is even stronger following bin Laden’s death” and warned against a “hasty” exit. What is hasty about withdrawing after ten years? Osama bin Laden got the United States into the Afghanistan war. Now President Obama should use bin Laden to get us out.