Afghan criticism of U.S. efforts rises.
By on Dec 3rd, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Afghan criticism of U.S. efforts rises.
A new ABC News/BBC/ARD poll finds that Afghan dissatisfaction with the United States has sharply increased since 2005. For the first time, “more than half of Afghans disapprove of U.S. efforts.” Additionally, “42 percent of Afghans say the Taliban has gained strength in the past year — far more than say it’s weakened.”
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You would think they would be more grateful considering just how little we have done for them.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:13 pmThat’s what happens when you take your eye off the ball. But then, it could also have to do with the constant killing of innocent civilians too.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:16 pmthat’s nothing!
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:16 pmmy dissatisfaction with the U.S. has sharply increased since 2000 and i’m a U.S. citizen!
Did Bernie Kerik “train” their police force too and then skipped out on the gig?
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:16 pmBush’s legacy: first President to lose two wars.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:23 pmBush’s legacy: first President to lose two wars.
Comment by VerbalKint — December 3, 2007 @ 2:23 pm
three, if you count the GWOT.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:24 pmAmerican G.I.; “can we go home now?”
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:26 pmObviously, this graph doesn’t account for the OFFSET from increased poppy/herion production.
Chin-up people, chin-up!
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:27 pmAnd they’re now producing more opium than ever.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:29 pmThe same stuff the administration has been smokin’ all these miserable years.
And this is the war that was sort of justified. This is the war where one could argue that the US was in the right, that the world supported.
And this is the war that could have been won, where Democracy could have been spread to the Middle East, that could have been successful (Or at least, as close to successful as wars can get.)
Instead the US president decided to invade another country in roughly the same region, which was not threat to US interests, and which the US didn’t have the forces to win the peace in.
The result? Pakistan, a current nuclear power, is playing host to the Taliban and elements of Al Qaeada. Afghanistan is now the world’s largest supplier of heroine. Iraq is a resource pit, which, well lets put it this way, Bush’s latest request for funding would fund South Africa’s budget for ten years.
Your allies are leaving you in droves, your economy is in tatters and your military is overstretched. Russia looks like it is going back to the cold war, Britain has point blank refused to join you on future adventures, and Italy quite frankly, hates you for killing one of their national heroes - when he was on your side.
Afghanistan could have been won. For the first time in history Afghanistan could have been won. And due to a president who through, I don’t know, maybe it was ADD, maybe it was trying to prove something to daddy, maybe it was actively trying to destroy America as a polical force in the world, decided to fight two wars at the same time despite the world’s long history of such wars being lost.
For a shining moment Bush could have seen something through and it been good, instead we have it being a total disaster just like everything else his bungling has touched.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:29 pmthree, if you count the GWOT.
Comment by Lefty Patriot — December 3, 2007 @ 2:24 pm
But he has been winning the war against the Constitution.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:43 pm10, Bruce,
Just what you said…
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:44 pmWhy would the bushies care what the afghanies think? freedom isn’t about being free, it’s about bush getting something for free.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:47 pmOh, shut up, and embrace freedom!!!
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:49 pmAfghanistan can not be won, Bruce. NO matter what, you can’t change regimes if people living there don’t want to.
Afghanistan is as stupid as Iraq, no matter what the “liberal” intellectuals say. Going after a terrorist by invading a country and changing the current Taliban regime, is a smart move? Imagine you had caught OBL and the regime changed…but Afghans don’t want that. Just like the situation you have now but you don’t have OBL nor the regime changed…only a 50 meter-pile of corpses.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:52 pmhow could they not be stoked about being the world’s #1 opium producer???
how could they not be stoked about having the taliban running most of their country again??
how could they not be stoked about our planes bombing their weddings and funerals for 5 years??
how could they not be stoked that their (provided by us) puppet leader can’t leave their capitol city??
those people are just ungrateful, right, Righties???
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:00 pmThe US is only interested in the Oil Pipe line… if it is Taliban, Ossama, Chenney or Hitler doesn’t matter.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:06 pmAnd this is the war that was sort of justified. etc.
#10 Bruce Gorton
I somewhat agree with you. But we still got lost in the mythos of our omnipotent military spreading democracy at the point of a bayonet / RPG.
Depending on the intelligence I got (filtered by the WH to the media to my mind), there did seem to be good reason to “get” Osama Ben Laden. This was a very concrete and focuse objective.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:30 pmDamned ingrates.
the Taliban, I mean.
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:03 pmMore hatred agains the U.S, against our country.
Heckuva job, Georgie!
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:48 pmGet in line, Afghanis! Listen, make too much fuss, and you’ll get BushCo’s attention…you think you’re screwed now?
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:52 pmIn the immortal words of Bachmann Turner Overdrive, “You ain’t seen nothin yet”.
#15 Juan C. - am I missing a subtlety in your statment ?
I take it that we would agree that spreading conversion at the point of a bayonet isn’t likely to be effective. I take it that we would agree that the basic Afghanee isn’t interested in an American democracy (whether from experience, etc. etc. ).
But when you say that they are too stupid, it sounds to me a disingenous way of excusing our failure there (we went in without them asking, we destroyed their structure, but if they don’t become us, it is because they are stupid).
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:57 pmJuan C
That’s the thing, in Afghanistan you had a fair proportion of the population wanting a more secular form of government. They were even in a civil war over it. The popular support, the world’s willingness to help, even the pretext, they were all there.
But, thanks to Bush’s bungling and lack of focus, thanks to him on a whim invading Iraq, you have the Afghanistan you have today.
December 4th, 2007 at 5:03 am