Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bud Martin on December 2, 2009 at 3:52pm

Probably too few, too late. The on-scene commander (remember those?) wanted twice as many--available in theatre. Even Mr. Lincoln (not a military veteran) realized that Generals have to fight wars that politicians start (Clausewitz,), and listened to their counsel. Afghanistan is an arena for testing our latest weapons against 'stone age' combatants. The locals have been fighting among themselves since Alexander passed that way, so I doubt that whatever Mr. Obama decrees will little matter--to stay, or leave, won't affect conditions of the populace (purportedly our mission).

Permalink Reply by Rick on December 2, 2009 at 6:43pm

Well, about 7.5 years ago a group of people who called themselves "Republicans" decided to railroad the American people into attacking, invading and occupying a third world country that had nothing what so ever to do with the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

They used the fear and anger the American people had against anyone who wasn't "anglo" and "Christian" who lived in the South West Asia region of the world. To heighten the fear they out and out lied about Weapons of Mass Destruction. They even used ancient intelligence documents that one can call "historical" if you'd want. Then they set dates that no country or leader would even consider to accept.

The end result was well over 5000 service members dead. Well over 30 thousand wounded. Trillions squandered. Shoddy work paid for by the American Taxpayer. And on top of that, the largest and most massive national debt the US has ever had.

All the while the head of an international terrorist group was allowed to "walk." We had CIA, Spec Ops and some locals there. Through air power and other things we had killed 5000 of his 8000 followers. Those guys had even captured one of his radios and would listen in to him talk to his followers.
We had even wounded the man.
And we stopped.
They asked for more troops to help them.
They didn't get them.

Close to 3000 of our people died on Sept. 11, 2001. And the Bush Administration let him walk.
As for the intelligence repeated and numerous failures by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), not one was fired or publicly held accountable.
This in itself should have generated national outrage. Heads should have rolled.
None did.

When the US was attacked at Peal Harbor on Dec. 7th, 1941, the commanding Admiral and General were slowly roasted over an open fire by Congress. Their careers were ended.
Not one US Government employee was ever ever held accountable.
However, the American people are made to suffer by the Patriot Act and the creation of lumbering bureaucracy called Homeland Security.

Nothing has changed accept that the US Government has gotten bigger, fatter and more out of control
But, the man who headed the group that attacked our country is still alive.
I guess if he had been killed then the Bush Administration couldn't have justified their attack, invasion and occupation of Iraq.
I guess Iraq allowed those whose daddies got them out of military service during the Vietnam era gave them the impression that they were as "rough and tough" as those who men and women who served in Vietnam. Of course, they didn't have to worry about getting a boo boo on their knees or chip a nail in doing so.

But we still have well over seven years to not allow what has happened in Afghanistan. I had a friend who is now on his second tour there, tell me a few years ago that if we did not increase our efforts in Afghanistan then we would lose all that we had gained.
I find it rather funny that people who were on the ground in Afghanistan were saying this but Mr. Bush and Company just wouldn't listen.
Or rather they didn't want to listen.
Well, like Georgie Bush said a few years ago when pressed about Iraq, he said, and I quote, "That's the next President's problem....."

Georgie was wrong. It's the American people's problem.
Now we're having to fix Bush and Company's failures.

Permalink Reply by Doug Bates on January 1, 2010 at 8:44am

I agree with Obama in that he decided to follow the advice of the military man he appointed. I do wish he had not waited quite so long to make the decision though. I do support his decision and I am getting ready to go to Afghanistan. The problem we have had in the past is that we lack the fortitude to finish what we started. When Bush went into Afghanistan he had the support of everyone. His problem was that he didn't finish it. He took his eye off the ball, broke many promises to the Afghans, and basically forgot about the place. I'm not a Bush-basher, I consider myself liberal socially and fiscally conservative, but he really dropped the ball when it came to Afghanistan.

People say that Obama has broken his promise to the liberals by not ending the wars. He never said he would end the war in Afghanistan, in fact, during his campaign he promised to re-focus our efforts there. I was not an Obama supporter. I felt he lacked the experience to effectively be President. I think he has shown this to be the case so far. I don't think he is going to destroy the country the way many conservatives say, but I do think he has to get a handle on the spending. That was one of the problems with Bush. He spent way too much.