Sen. Kerry: It would ‘irresponsible’ for Obama to commit more troops to Afghanistan right now.
Sen. Kerry: It would ‘irresponsible’ for Obama to commit more troops to Afghanistan right now.
During an interview with CNN’s John King, Sen. John Kerry argued that it would “irresponsible” to commit more troops to Afghanistan at a time when the legitimacy of the Afghanistan government is in doubt. Kerry’s comments came in the context of arguing that Obama shouldn’t be “cornered” into making a hasty decision:
It would be entirely irresponsible for the president of the United States to commit more troops to this country, when we don’t even have an election finished and know who the president is and what kind of government we’re working in with.
When our own commanding general tells us that a critical component of achieving our mission here is, in fact, good governance, and we’re living with a government that we know has to change and provide it, how could the president responsibly say, “Oh, they asked for more, sure — here they are”?
Watch it:
In an interview with CBS, Kerry similarly said that the decision on sending more forces cannot be made until the disputed election is settled. Kerry’s comments follows concerns by Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), who argued that troop increases “wouldn’t be well received” in Congress, and Rep. David Obey (D-WI), who argued that a counterinsurgency operation in Afghanistan would be “futile.”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
@2, Screw you! We have been there for 8 friggin years! Why subject our brave men and women to the meatgrinder? For God’s sake, the Government is corrupt, their money is obtained through heroin, the election was a farce, and they have no infrastructure. We should pull out of the Miidle East altogether and focus on antiterrorist methods. What we have done is destabilize the entire Middle East during the Bush years. Get out now. Our troops deserve better.
October 17th, 2009 at 10:33 pmhe right*
*I’m channeling a troll.
October 17th, 2009 at 10:36 pmBut you’re safe, Olby Sucks.
Safe in the arms of your lover, Keith Olbermann.
October 17th, 2009 at 10:39 pmIronic aint it? The last segment, the trolls weren’t interested. But bring up the subject of war, and they are all over with their Bullsh*t. Trolls love war. Unless they aren’t fighting it or their children. They sit in their comfortable homes and act like warriors. Friggin cowards.
October 17th, 2009 at 10:42 pmJeffy Bovine
So you are out of the institution.
October 17th, 2009 at 10:50 pmShouldn’t you be holding a soda can before passersby to liberate your cousin in custody?
The truth is we have already created many more terrorists than we got rid of with our “war on terror.”
It’s like fishermen who used to cut starfish in half that got caught in their nets thinking this would kill them, not knowing that each star fish cut became two new fish. Each “terrorist” we kill only creates new ones. Each civilian we kill probably creates two or three new terrorists.
October 17th, 2009 at 10:55 pmOlby Luv likes to pretend he cares, but blood and death really help him get his rocks off.
October 17th, 2009 at 10:56 pmIf Kerry is an idiot, why is he a Senator, and why does his political party have a super majority?
The idiots are the Republicans that have gone from a dream of permanent majority to what could very well become extinction. Who’s the idiot?
October 17th, 2009 at 10:58 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Anyone remembers how the newclowns kept promising that Chimpocracy would spread like wild fire across the middle east?
Even worse, the same newclown idiots keep arguing that the plans were right but Chimperor Bush just f-up royally.
Then daddy Wanker Bush whines the loser is being treated unfairly.
WAAAAAAAAH!
October 17th, 2009 at 11:05 pmI’m outta here. There is no reasoning with trolls. Especially about matters of war. They love the thought of people dying for the good of the nation, as long as they don’t do it themselves. For the last several years we have seen our young(mostly poor and middle class) die for these guys delusions of granduer. Enough already. Goodnight my fellow TPers.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:09 pmI guess Kerry sees the same intel as President Obama.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:10 pmClose, OS. It’s January 27th. But remembering his birthday and surprising him eleven days early will just thrill Keith!
October 17th, 2009 at 11:10 pmOlby Sucks said,
It is the duty of our troops to sit in harms way. Bush43 decided they needed to go into harms way, and so far, Obama has agreed to keep them in harms way.
Are you suggesting our troops should not be in harms way? Are you saying Bush43 was wrong to put our troops in harms way?
Why don’t you drop the fascist propagandist facade and act like a real American for one minute of your life.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:11 pmOh, by the way trolls, click Thumbs Down all you want. Instead of debating you’re arguments, you click. How cowardly.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:12 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
There should be a vote up, vote down and wtf buttons.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:14 pmShamrock,
Afghanistan is the graveyard of more than one empire. Just ask the Greeks, the Brits, and the Russians.
And us, in a few years.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:15 pmWhat we really need is to display the IP of everyone that posts. It would make it much easier to round up the crazy trolls.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:15 pmOlby Sucks you gave me the crabs. Now they’re in my ears. Thanks.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:16 pmsucks, you know your chimpy cut and ran from his senseless invasions and occupations. Repugs couldn’t run a lemonade stand.
And yet you suck up the stupid.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:22 pmOlby Lover,
No matter how many times you ask, I will not set you up with David Vitter.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:23 pmJeffy Bovine,
What happened, Hannity date is down?
October 17th, 2009 at 11:27 pm29, Zooey, unless you love cocktail weenies don’t waste your time.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:29 pmI find it interesting how progressives do not always agree with the decisions of their leaders. Despite the fascist Republicans blasphemously claiming that Obama is our “messiah”, we don’t all either agree or disagree with what Obama decides to do in Afghanistan. Yet the crazy conservatives backed their lunatic leader Bush43, no matter how bad his decisions were.
This is probably the best reason to never vote Republican for any elected position. When a political party is unwilling to disagree with their leaders decisions, they are just a totalitarian party unfit for power.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:32 pmOlby is m’ boy!
October 17th, 2009 at 11:35 pmMichele Bachmann (R-Candyland) says:
29, Zooey, unless you love cocktail weenies don’t waste your time.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Hmmmm, should I ask how you know that…?
October 17th, 2009 at 11:42 pmLooks like the trolls have given up for the moment. I wonder if they realize they are fighting a losing battle.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:44 pmZooey says:
he right*
*I’m channeling a troll.
___________
Seriously…
If you were really, really channeling a troll, or trollette, as the case may be… equal opportunity ‘n all… wouldn’t it be more like:
“Mmmmmmmmmm… paste DO taste better than boogers…”
October 17th, 2009 at 11:46 pmLevi,
I’m sure it’s more of a general feeling of anxiety that they just don’t understand. Anything else would require a higher level of thinking.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:46 pmThe Republic of Stupidity says:
“Mmmmmmmmmm… paste DO taste better than boogers…”
October 17th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Ok, so maybe I was just hallucinating! :-D
October 17th, 2009 at 11:48 pmLevi the Oracle says:
Looks like the trolls have given up for the moment. I wonder if they realize they are fighting a losing battle.
With all this talk about Olbermann for the past few hours, Olby Sucks has likely had to contact his doctor. I think it’s been four hours.
October 17th, 2009 at 11:49 pmPurple State says:
With all this talk about Olbermann for the past few hours, Olby Sucks has likely had to contact his doctor.
____________
Oh… he’s busy making contact w/ sumpin alrighty…
But it AIN’T his doctor…
October 17th, 2009 at 11:52 pmZooey says:
Ok, so maybe I was just hallucinating! :-D
___________
Then I hope you brought enough to go around…
A good hallucination is a terrible thing to keep to yourself…
October 17th, 2009 at 11:53 pmSo, quick question for Olby Sucks and Conservative Guy (Actually two questions).
October 17th, 2009 at 11:53 pm1-How old are you?
2-Have you ever served in the Military and if so, any experience fighting in combat?
I await you’re answers.
Purple State says at 38,
Oy Vay!
October 17th, 2009 at 11:55 pmJim Wolf359 says:
2-Have you ever served in the Military and if so, any experience fighting in combat?
_________
Jim… I think you need to be a bit more specific and point out that “playing with my GI Joe dolls” doesn’t count as “military experience”…
Just sayin’…
October 17th, 2009 at 11:58 pmTRoS,
I get high on life, dontcha know?
**fingers crossed behind back**
October 17th, 2009 at 11:59 pmYes…
High… on… Life…
***Blinky eyes… sincere look on face…***
October 18th, 2009 at 12:03 amTROS says,
October 18th, 2009 at 12:03 amHmmmmmm, I hadn’t thought of that. Good point. It would explain a lot.
Olby,
October 18th, 2009 at 12:04 amAre you gonna answer my questions? C’mon man. Humor me.
The trolls are weak tonight.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:05 amOh god, now I feel SO guilty! The judge might not be proud of me! Oh woe is me, fiddle dee dee!
The judge knows how to mind his own business, and I do the same, so f uck off Olby Sucker.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:05 amThe Republic of Stupidity says:
***Blinky eyes… sincere look on face…***
October 18th, 2009 at 12:03 am
Yep, that’s what I’m seeing in the mirror. Heh.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:06 amYou can also answer this one for me while you’re at it.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:07 amHave you evewr studied any Military History (even superfisially) from the Korean War to the present day conflicts?
Hmmm…
Does anyone have any idea what that shabby old man in the greasy raincoat is muttering about?
And if he starts to open that coat…
Somebody give him a good, swift kick in the…
October 18th, 2009 at 12:07 amI agree Lisa. I’m trying to get a rise out of them but, no dice. Pity.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:09 amZooey says:
Yep, that’s what I’m seeing in the mirror. Heh.
____________
Oh yeah… can’t doubt THAT sincerity…
October 18th, 2009 at 12:09 amI shudder to think of the fragile mental state of many of our trolls. Imagine if you were told trickle down economics and deregulation was going to make the economy stronger, but it turns out just the opposite. You were told Obama could never win the election, but here he is President and all the propaganda talking points they are supposed to spread turn out to be lies.
They are now being told how they are going to retake the congress in the mid term election when it is quite clear they will be lucky not to lose even more ground. They are facing the extinction of the party that is their only political hope.
We are witness to their fragile mental states. When you encounter these people in the real world, beware of them because they teeter at the edge of sanity.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:09 amYou are right Z, especially if one is looking for a few rogue people (compared to the population.)
Thanks to the teabaggers chimpy declared war on all haystacks looking for one needle.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:09 amjust found this story on the googlenews page…
where if found this one… OT … and, damn…
Criminal charges to be filed in case of balloon boy
Reuters – Alexandria Sage, Todd Eastham – ?1 hour ago?
DENVER (Reuters) – Criminal charges will soon be filed in the case of a 6-year-old boy who spurred a frantic search for fear he was inside a wayward helium balloon, but who was later found safe at home, officials said on Saturday. …
http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ncl=drCfUuEd05bfa3MAZj6WOj_YddyaM&topic=h
and, SNL seems to have really sold out…
October 18th, 2009 at 12:10 amseth is saving it now.
Jim Wolf359 says:
I agree Lisa. I’m trying to get a rise out of them but, no dice. Pity.
_________
Jim…
If you really want to get a rise outta ‘em, I suggest a 2 ton crane… or a cattle prod and a bucket of cold water… that’ll get ‘em up ‘n moving EVERY TIME… I assure you.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:11 amTROS says,
I’m trying to probe them Intellectually, see how they think.
Oh….Wait!
October 18th, 2009 at 12:14 amYankees 3, Angels 3. Bottom of the 11th. What a game. And the conditions are hideous.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:17 amUS senator warns on Afghan troops
BBC News – ?2 hours ago?
US Senator John Kerry has said it would be irresponsible to send more US troops to Afghanistan before the result of the presidential election there is clear.
Video: Kerry on Obama Decisions CBS
Too early to send more US troops to Afghanistan: Kerry AFP
Reuters – New York Times – CNN – Times Online
all 2,539 news articles »
http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ncl=dSunqHj8PX1jAIMJ4Z_hU3BiOOdoM&topic=h
i find it interesting noting the different takes on a story…
October 18th, 2009 at 12:18 amand this:
reporting the story of the racist justice of the peace,
October 18th, 2009 at 12:19 amseth’s “tip for all you racists out there -
never follow a denial of racism with the DEFINITION!”
Jim Wolf359 says:
I’m trying to probe them Intellectually, see how they think.
____________
Whilst yer intentions are noble… if you truly have the stomach to “probe their intellects”… I would suggest using THIS…
…
***TRoS brandishes a scuffed up aluminum baseball bat…***
And some of THIS…
***TRoS produces jar of Vick’s VapoRub™***
Don’t worry… you’ll be probing from the right end to find their brains, alrighty…
October 18th, 2009 at 12:19 amI think Olby is afraid to say anything, because he knows everyone will soundly ridicule it. What kind of person would give up their Saturday night to have their political philosophies debunked in public?
Olby, how afraid are you that the Republican Party will go they way of the Whigs? What does it feel like to try to salvage the failure of conservatism? How can you stand to come back here day after day having your lies, hypocrisy and hatred pointed out?
October 18th, 2009 at 12:19 amkaty says:
never follow a denial of racism with the DEFINITION!”
_________
But… but… katy… how else would we know He’s Really Not A Racist™???
October 18th, 2009 at 12:20 amKaty says,
October 18th, 2009 at 12:21 amLooks like BBC used his comment to John King to lead their story and our Domestic Press used his comments from the CBS interview.
Lisa Loopner says:
The trolls are weak tonight.
____________
At least you have to admire their consistency… they’re weak EVERY night… and day…
It’s the inbreeding…
October 18th, 2009 at 12:23 amJim Wolf359 says:
Hmmmmmm, I hadn’t thought of that. Good point. It would explain a lot.
__________
That… ‘n playing with their other “little soldier” too…
October 18th, 2009 at 12:25 amGame of Life says:
There should be a vote up, vote down and wtf buttons.
it may be redundant, but an LOL button would be fun too…
October 18th, 2009 at 12:39 amTRoS…. eeew.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:40 amNO foreign power has ever been able to defeat the Afghan People. And that includes the great ancient ones such as Ghengis Khan and Alexander the Great. What excatly makes us think we’ll be the first to do it?
October 18th, 2009 at 12:41 amkaty says:
Game of Life says:
There should be a vote up, vote down and wtf buttons.
it may be redundant, but an LOL button would be fun too…
___________
WTF and LOL buttons?
Damn… I LURVE it…
How about a Custard Pie In The Face button?
I think the technology is almost there…
I hear the sicentists are up to shaving cream pies at this point…
October 18th, 2009 at 12:42 amJeffy Bovine is not going to answer.
As I can ascertain from one of his pictures, Jeffy is in his late forties, he is a total closet case, pretends to be straight.
From Jeffy’s posts, 7th grade tops but actually 4th grade level skills, totally submissive yet obsessive with male figures of his affection. He likes to plagiarize other people’s works to play peek-a-boo then likes to get slammed for it.
October 18th, 2009 at 12:47 amtros – i kinda left out the meat of that joke…
seth noted that the j.o.p. who would marry the couple in LA gave as his excuse that he didn’t want to mix the races…
and then he gave his tip:
never follow a denial of racism with the DEFINITION!”
…
Jim Wolf359 – that too… and i noticed most on that front page were foreign sources … and no fox… which is usually first…
rupert must pay EVERYone to be everywhere…
…
that’s all… good night folks…
October 18th, 2009 at 1:01 am*** who would NOT marry that couple ***
October 18th, 2009 at 1:02 amralph the wonder llama says:
TRoS…. eeew.
_________
What? What??? Sumpin I said?
October 18th, 2009 at 1:14 amlt was the Vick’s Vapo-rub that did it/
October 18th, 2009 at 1:17 amHey… it’ll help clear their, uh, ’sinuses’ out…
October 18th, 2009 at 1:20 amI read this article and found it quite refreshing. The Congress has assumed its legitimate oversight role. The President has not been issued a blank military check in regards to Afghanistan, and has to answer some tough questions.
The Congress during the Cheney/Bush era relinquished their oversight role. The Republicans don’t seem to grasp the specific role of the Congress. In the case of Iraq, they should have prevented a needless war. In Afghanistan they could have insured adequate supplies for the operation.
I find it ironic; the very people questioning the role of Congress in this matter don’t appear to understand the structure of the Federal Government, yet they lecture me on the constitution and the intent of the founding fathers.
I question the Republican’s fitness to govern.
October 18th, 2009 at 1:29 amThis so called war only benefits the defense contractors/industry AND those in the military knowing full well promotions are given more rapidly during a war.
didn’t Obama name his favorite song as What’s Going On? A song all about restoring peace…. was he lying?
October 18th, 2009 at 1:51 amI kept looking for the reason in my own mind that Afghanistan has become such a quagmire, and the truth is that it seems to be for the same reason we shouldn’t have run out of there so quickly twenty years ago:
The Afghanis are overwhelmingly young, have no roads, few schools, lots of guns, lots of drugs, and a terribly corrupt government. At the very least we have the obligation to build some sort of infrastructure so that the unstable social climate doesn’t lead to further problems down the road– you know, in another ten tyears this time as opposed to another twenty.
If we add more troops to kill more Afghanis, we add to the youth’s righteous hatred of our forces. If we pull out without doing anything to rebuild, we run the risk of provoking deep-seated resentment that will fuel terror farms all over the country. We have to determine a way to cripple Al Qaeda AND rebuild Afghanistan. I just don’t see how more troops will accomplish that.
October 18th, 2009 at 2:12 amVP Biden has made a lot of sense on this issue and he talks not about a counterinsurgency effort but instead a counterterrorism effort. That kind of thinking is several years overdue.
October 18th, 2009 at 3:00 amGeniusJunky @83
I get your drift.
B U T
After a wasted, unnecessary 8 yrs in a place where chimpy swore on his cowboy boots to kill bin Laden.
Later he slurred “‘Laden who?”
They hate the old US, no doubt to that. It’s going to be hard to gain their trust especially, if we keep bombing more than they do.
October 18th, 2009 at 3:04 amOlby Sucks says:
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Classic liberal hypocrisy…
Classic wingnut stupidity…. Down the toilet with your trollfarts.
October 18th, 2009 at 3:24 am“It would be entirely irresponsible for the president of the United States to commit more troops to this country, when we don’t even have an election finished and know who the president is and what kind of government we’re working in with.”
Criticizing your President in a time of war, Senator Kerry?
October 18th, 2009 at 3:38 amI heard a dumbazz repug(I forgot which one) chuckled, “the government is either in war or health reform. The money has to go somewhere.”
Teabag logic is azz soaked.
October 18th, 2009 at 4:21 amLiberal hypocrisy. n. Any perceived or imagined change in the behavior of liberals from one instant to the next.
Example: Liberals who exhale are hypocrites because they just inhaled. Welcome to winger logic.
October 18th, 2009 at 6:54 amAfghanistan WAS a functioning, stable country before the Soviets Invaded it. Poor but not a threat to others. Parts of the country are right out of the Old Testament.
I think Sen. Kerry’s statement is Good Cop/ Bad Cop.
The recent Election WAS a Farce. Karzai is resisting efforts to have a run off or a power sharing Govt.
A Blank Check will not Motivate him.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:09 amWhere are the neck drooling knuckle draggers who support a withdrawal from Afghanistan now that we have a half-black/half-white Democratic President in the White House? Why aren’t they marching to bring our troops home? Come on as*holes, GRAB A MOP!
October 18th, 2009 at 8:49 amColberson just said on Fox News that Nazis landed in Long Beach FL, only they ACTUALLY landed on Long Island, NY.
These people are idiots.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:49 amGeniusJunky@83 said,
If it were up to me to find a way to cripple Al Qaeda and rebuild Afghanistan, I would pull most of the combat troops out, but greatly increase the size of the Army’s Corp of engineers.
I would “attack” Afghanistan by making the enemy come to me, where I am building a road, or a bridge. The terrain of Afghanistan makes it difficult to go to the enemy. Rather than go to the enemy, we should be making the enemy come to us.
When you are building a bridge, you can saturate the area with defensive fortifications before you even begin construction. Once the bridge is complete, you pick up shop and move to another location. If the enemy wants to fight you, they come to you, instead of you trying to find them.
I recommend we change the dynamic of Afghanistan from an aggressive forward military operation, to a modern military engineering operation. We could build so many roads, so fast, and we could employ indigenous personnel as unskilled labor.
October 18th, 2009 at 10:01 amOnce the bridge is complete, you pick up shop and move to another location.
Levi, I agree with the point you are making…but…
RAMADI, Iraq, Oct. 17 — Insurgents detonated a truck loaded with five tons of explosives Saturday on a bridge here that links western Iraq to Jordan and Syria, pulverizing part of the overpass and paralyzing traffic for hours.
October 18th, 2009 at 10:25 amIf you build the roads, you can control those roads, to some degree. It will require local militia to man checkpoints, but when the roads you build are the only thing there is to travel on, your enemy will travel on them, and you can use that to your advantage.
October 18th, 2009 at 11:25 amI believe Obama should and will increase our troops in Afghanistan. The additional troops are to maintain the status quo, but I don’t think Obama is going to look at the war as an open ended commitment. Obama should give Karzai an ultimatum that we are not going to continue to prop up his government. If he cannot build a coalition among the various ethnic groups, we will support regime change. The West should not spend billions of dollars to aid the country while they continue their tribal attitudes and drug dealing. If Karzai cannot meet specific goals, then we and the other countries should withdraw. There is no point in building a country that is going to degenerate into tribal warfare when we leave.
October 18th, 2009 at 11:42 amLevi the Oracle,
You have added an interesting perspective. Any improvements in Afghanistan’s infrastructure have to change the dynamics to the US’s advantage. The building of infrastructure has a second contribution. Years after the US leaves, the infrastructure will remain a testimony to our contribution to their country.
Positive actions can only help at winning the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan.
October 18th, 2009 at 11:55 amKarzai is going to screw this up gloriously, for himself, for us, and for the Afghans generally. He’s up to his armpits in corruption and he wants to keep it up, promote it, etc.
We ought to see if we could cut off his and his cronies’ access to their off-shore accounts. They can’t be putting all the haul into their militias and “crop” production. Oh wait, Karzai and his buddies are Afghans, so they’re probably putting it into gold and bribing the Taliban to attack the infidel furriners (as if they needed any encouragement).
October 18th, 2009 at 1:02 pmThere is no point in building a country that is going to degenerate into tribal warfare when we leave.
Ok, considering the number of countries that indulge in tribal warfare around this globe right now, just what is the reason the US has decided that we need to stick our nose into Afghanistan?
If the US is against the idea of tribal warfare, why not just get it over with and invade the world? Who made the US the ultimate arbiter? And if we are, why are we playing favorites?
October 18th, 2009 at 4:17 pm@ 96. pags2 says: I believe Obama should and will increase our troops in Afghanistan. The additional troops are to maintain the status quo, but I don’t think Obama is going to look at the war as an open ended commitment. Obama should give Karzai an ultimatum that we are not going to continue to prop up his government. If he cannot build a coalition among the various ethnic groups, we will support regime change. The West should not spend billions of dollars to aid the country while they continue their tribal attitudes and drug dealing. If Karzai cannot meet specific goals, then we and the other countries should withdraw. There is no point in building a country that is going to degenerate into tribal warfare when we leave. October 18th, 2009 at 11:42 am
That’s a good point, pags2, but I hope that President Obama and his team can be a little more careful with regime change than some other administrations have been.
For instance, a lot of the problems in Iraq can be traced to simple ignorance of the culture and it’s governmental structure; if we hadn’t been so thorough-going with “regime change”, throwing out all the Baath and demobilizing the military and police without having anything in place for maintaining civil order, we might have avoided several years of heartache and heartburn, and we might have been a little further along in drawing down our troop presence there.
We only have ourselves to blame for Karzai. I suspect that Shrub and company had absolutely no notion of how corrupt Karzai was, and how venal every one of the warlords would be who Karzai decided to rely on. But that’s because Shrub and company weren’t willing to listen to anyone about any other culture; Shrub and boys are the type of idiot who think that when the colonial marster says this is the way it is, then that makes it so.
Abdullah, Karzai’s opponent, may be on the side of the angels, but maybe not. There’s a lot going on there that takes years to understand. Granted, we don’t have that long to decide which way to jump, but we don’t have many options left. Supporting Karzai has boxed us in and undoing that will be very difficult.
Supporting regime change can go seriously off the rails when we don’t know what we’re dealing with; one of the better examples is the history around the Diem assassination in S. Vietnam in 1963. We’d been dealing with Diem and his brother, who was as corrupt as they come, for several years, so a bunch of people at State and in the Kennedy administration thought they knew how things would play out. We still ended up holding a bag of shit when Diem was assassinated instead of simply being tossed out and we had to support the generals that set up the coup. And things didn’t improve after that, either.
That kind of thing may well be in the back or even the forefront of John Kerry’s mind when he makes a remark about not committing more troops right now. We are going to have to do something; the default at the moment probably won’t work all that long as the Taliban gain recruits and battlefield momentum. We should have some time to get a new strategy into place and figure out the optimum number of troops and trainers to carry that strategy in the tactical environment. I’d say that whatever we’re going to do needs to be well under way by late winter, early spring, in Afghanistan.
October 18th, 2009 at 5:40 pmI was under the impression we should increase troops – we have 40 countries involved…. It sounded reasonable. I’ve never been for increasing troops in my life but for once it really sounded like the right fight.. and a winnable war. But as of today – as more information comes in – I understand why they are being so indecisive.
You simply can’t conduct a mission to gain the ‘hearts and minds’ of the people with no government support.. and no army to speak of. We can’t train a security force.. there isn’t one! I dunno… I definitely need to be better informed about this war to have a clear opinion.. but today suddenly Afghanistan started to sound like the quagmire it has been portrayed to be..
October 19th, 2009 at 4:08 amConservaTROLL
Kill yourself you are a punk
October 19th, 2009 at 6:18 amOlbyLOON
Classic conservative stupidity. You are a liar and a moron OblyLoon
October 19th, 2009 at 6:20 amThank you for your sharing.!
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:42 pmIt’s one thing for John Kerry to come out against an escalation of troops in Afghanistan (estetik): “It would be entirely irresponsible for the president of the United States to commit more troops to this country, when we don’t even have an election finished and know who the president is and what kind of government we’re working in with. burun estetigi” It’s quite another to have hawkish House Democrat Jane Harman thinking same thing (gögüs büyütme ameliyatlari): Rep. Jane Harman (gögüs estetigi), often hawkish on national security issues, is lining up with liberal Democrats against any further combat troop increases in Afghanistan. gögüs küçültme ameliyatlari Harman, a longtime Intelligence Committee member, told a Brookings Institution gathering today that any further increases “wouldn’t be well received” on Capitol Hill. vajina daraltma ameliyatlari Harman’s view is that the Obama administration should deal with government corruption, and build up Afghan forces, before Congress is asked to pay for more U.S. lazer epilasyon troops. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U,S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, has asked for 40,000 additional troops. karin germe estetigi var addthis_pub=”thejoshuablog estetik“;It seem more & more likely that there will be less & less chance that troop level in Afghanistan will increase to any level near what McChrystal’s belief that 40,000 more troops are needed in Afghanistan karin germe estetigi, something he made public so as to force the president’s hand and which now seems to be backfiring. saç ekimi
October 24th, 2009 at 3:56 am