Fallon: Afghanistan is bad, but Iraq is worse.
By on Feb 25th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Fallon: Afghanistan is bad, but Iraq is worse.
On CTV’s Question Period yesterday, Centcom chief Adm. William Fallon claimed that “we’re not nearly as bad as some would have you believe in Afghanistan.” Though he acknowledged that there has been a “huge upsurge in horrible things that go on in Afghanistan,” Fallon said he’s not fazed by the increase because it pales in comparison to Iraq:
I look at Iraq and what I’ve been dealing with over there, and there’s no comparison in the magnitude of the number of events and so forth.
Watch it:
[flv http://video.thinkprogress.org/2008/02/FallonAfghanistanIraq.320.240.flv]
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So both are going pretty poorly.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:08 pmWhat is this — a contest to see which area of the world we’ve messed up the most?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:08 pmI agree with the Adm. The amount that’s been f%$ked up in Iraq is so much more than what’s been f#$ked up in Afghanistan. That’s not a vote of confidence for either front.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:10 pmWrite it on your surgescription pad, Admiral.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:11 pm2. More like which still needs more of our attention.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
Only the caves containing Bin Laden and his cohorts deserve our attention. The Iraqi people don’t think we deserve anything, so our attention isn’t needed there. It’s time to relieve the stress on the forces and use our military resources wisely. Right behind the troops, cutting insane spending at DoD is another priority.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:15 pmThe Surge is working!
February 25th, 2008 at 4:16 pmAs soon as we get the oil flowing then we can turn our attention to the Afgan pipeline… got to prioritize.
Uh, Admiral, you’re swiftboat is arriving at Pier 86…
February 25th, 2008 at 4:19 pmFrankly, I couldn’t find any reference to his saying “horrible things” in the linked article. However, I did find something I found quite ironic.
“He did caution that the Taliban “pays close attention” to what happens in countries that supply troops to Afghanistan and gain confidence “if they perceive there’s little commitment – or it’s words and not a lot of action to back it up.”
“And that’s certainly not the mindset we want to leave them with,” Adm. Fallon said”
What kind of impression do you suppose our committing very few troops to Afghanistan early on or now, then changing our focus to Iraq, left on the Taliban?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:22 pmLet’s borrow 100 trillion dollars from the chinese and use it to send all the 18-40 year olds to Iraq forever – then we will surely win.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:22 pmAfghanistan is lost , were all leaving once Bush gets out of power
February 25th, 2008 at 4:23 pmYeah, gee, that’s exactly like asking someone, “what would *you* rather die from, a heart attack or cancer?”
Well, like, um, they both involve death and they BOTH suck….kinda like our two-front war.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:25 pmEuropeans are tiring of their role as an European proxy for America’s legions, and the NATO commander speaks of a NATO defeat in Afghanistan.
NATO was an alliance created to resist a Soviet invasion of Europe. The U.S. has kept an unnecessary NATO alive for 18 years as a source of troops for its foreign adventures. Europeans dislike being mercenaries for an American empire, especially one that slaughters civilians.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:25 pmDesperate for troops, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is trying to scare Europeans with the threat of “international terrorism,” but Europeans know that the best way to bring terrorism to Europe is to send troops to fight Muslims for the Americans. Whether Gates will get the German and French soldiers that he so desperately needs depends on whether the U.S. can give the German and French leaders, Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy, enough billions of dollars to divide among their parties to embolden them to override public opinion and send their soldiers to die for U.S. and Israeli hegemony in the Middle East.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:26 pmWhat a total crock of ignorance and deception the Bush regime represents. Bush, defeated in Iraq, defeated in Afghanistan, with Pakistan crumbling in front of his eyes, is now reduced to begging the French, whom it was such grand sport for his neocon officials to denigrate, to send soldiers to save his ass in Afghanistan.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:27 pmMore like which still needs more of our attention.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
gg’s contribution to the war on islamofascism – paying attention.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:28 pm‘Libya will not vote for Iran sanction’
Libya’s UN ambassador, Giadalla Ettalhi, says his country cannot support further UNSC sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:29 pmIn a few weeks Adm. Fallon will announce his retirement to “spend more time with my family”.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:31 pm0-2 – maybe dubbie should hurry up and find a smaller country to take on so he doesn’t go down as the first Pres. ever to start and lose 2 wars.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:38 pmYes, the violence in both Afghanistan and Iraq goes on and on, with no end in sight. Could that possibly be because we have a traitor for a President who refuses to lift a finger against those actually attacking us?
http://www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com
February 25th, 2008 at 4:39 pmShorter Fallon: “Afghanistan is bad, but Iraq is totally f_cked up”
February 25th, 2008 at 4:48 pmYes. Compared to Iraq, Afghanistan looks good. Excellent point. That’ll make those doubters swallow their words. I just did an interview with Toronto Star writer Linda McQuaig on the issue of Afghanistan and she’s as concerned about the mess in Afghanistan as i am. It looks as if Canada will be taking somewhat of a lead-role over there too. Tragic.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:04 pmTP. Fallon is “not fazed”. Not “not phased”, unless he’s the admiral on a Star Trek episode.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:06 pmI truly wish Admiral Fallon had been head of Centcom from the beginning. He strikes me as one CANDID admiral.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:25 pmThis almost sounds like straight talk? What’s up with this? Can we get some of this from our grammar disabled President? Huh?
February 25th, 2008 at 5:42 pmI just did an interview with Toronto Star writer Linda McQuaig
Comment by robertoroberto — February 25, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
Cool!
Yes, Canada has been pulled into the quagmire that is Afghanistan. Canadian troops have traditionally been only for peacekeeping and now they’re part of the killing.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:53 pm“Yes, Canada has been pulled into the quagmire that is Afghanistan. Canadian troops have traditionally been only for peacekeeping and now they’re part of the killing.”
Exactly! We discussed the evolution of the America-Canada relationship and what it means now for North America. The idea being that America is dragging other countries along for its dangerous ride. Unfortunately you don’t here much kicking and screaming from Mr.Harper over here though. It’s the same story as America really – Weak opposition party giving the party in power free reign, meanwhile the Canadian death toll in the country rises now almost on a weekly basis.
February 25th, 2008 at 6:10 pmBush is deliberately pertpetuating a no-win scenario so that Democrats must manage the unmanageable chaos he has created. And then, of course, he’ll blame them for all death and destruction created by his failures! Bush should be tried for crimes against humanity and sentenced to solitary confinement for the remainder of his murderous miserable life.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:48 pm.
Another: “Bring it on…” mentality at play.
.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:19 amThis is the guy most responsible for keeping us from attacking Iran, probably.
Fallon:Not on my Watch.
Canada and a lot of European countries are having second thoughts about having troops in Afghanistan. Presumably that is why he is on Canadian TV.
February 26th, 2008 at 6:43 amExactly SeattleJoe, many Canadians are against the combat mission in Afghanistan. As a peacekeeping nation, Canadians feel they should be working with nations to solve crises by diplomacy. Their Prime-minister has other ideas. There’s a large disconnect between Canadians and their politicians on this issue.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:45 am