U.S. commander in Afghanistan warns that full withdrawal will allow al-Qaeda to regroup

Washington Post ^ | March 12 | Ernesto Londoño

[xzins]

The issue with Afghanistan is blood and treasure...mostly blood. Many Americans have given their lives in that piece of earth. As one mother lamented about the results in Iraq after our withdrawal...”as if my son died for nothing.”

I deeply regret that this was fought wrong from the beginning. What should have been a reprisal and exit became a war and nation building of endless numbers of years with continued American blood shed.

If we don’t intend to go all in and achieve an unconditional surrender, then we should stop shedding US blood.

[Salvation]

But who will listen to him?

[castlegreyskull]

I believe in a nearly full withdrawal, but I want us to leave behind a base which could house up to 300,000 soldiers. It also has 100+ drones that monitor Iran and a contingent force of about 10,000 troops.

[xzins]

No one. If it’s contrary to Obama’s wants, this general just showed courage. I think he’s right about al Qaeda, but I think he’s wrong about the solution.

[no-to-illegals]

What mushrooms?

[xzins]

I believe in beating your enemy’s head in with everything you’ve got ‘til he cries uncle, and if you’re not willing to do that, then don’t get involved in a long-term war.

[no-to-illegals]

What if we have to go solo?

[no-to-illegals]

May the force be there!

[DoodleDawg]

Karzai doesn't want us there. So we're leaving and good riddance to them.

[xzins]

See #2 & 7

[no-to-illegals]

Ain’t no real big secret/

[Chode]

hell, my bookie coulda told me that...

[Salvavida]

Screw you, Gen Dunford!!!

You have a responsibility to tell the President and Congress this is not winnable with the objectives and ROE as is.

[umgud]

I have no desire to shed our blood to save Afgani’s, Iraqi’s or muslims in general. At the end of the day, we’ll still be infidels and they will still hate us.

[Mariner]

While I want the US out of Afghanistan, with the exception of occasional raids to kill terrorists, I suppose this is the best we can hope for.

Around 15 thousand there forever.

That's the way we should have handled Iraq.

But why Afghanistan?

[castlegreyskull]

I don’t think we ever defined the enemy in Afghanistan. However, Russia, China and Iran are our enemy, and having a large base there, makes us more capable with dealing with such threats.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

Who cares. There’s real shit brewing in other parts of the world that take precedence over this hell hole.

[Mariner]

"I don’t think we ever defined the enemy in Afghanistan"

Bush did when he went in: The Terrorist training camps and the "State" that supported them.

Both were eliminated within the first few months and that's when we should have got out.

Back for occasional killing sprees, of course.

[El Cid]

Sadly the Al-Quedans have regrouped and have their champions in the Executive Branch. I understand we've shed precious American blood - but given the Rules of Engagement that we've imposed on our men, and given the fool-hardy idea of ‘nation building’ in that part of the world (while prohibiting any evangelism that might truly break the shackles of the people over there) — what is the point? Let Al-Queda take back that pile of rocks - and lets focus on protecting our borders and getting the traitors out of office.