Posted on 07/20/2008 12:35:10 AM PDT by Zakeet
With the two presidential hopefuls arguing over how to fight the Afghan war, and one of them currently in the battle-scarred country - the Bush administration recently held a secret meeting to brainstorm how to win it.
U.S. intelligence officials summoned top Afghanistan experts to Virginia, including ex-ground commander Army Lt. Gen. David Barno, to chart a plan for victory, the Daily News has learned.
One point several of the experts agreed on: Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are clueless about the seven-year war, because each wants a troop surge. "Both candidates putting so much emphasis on troop numbers in Afghanistan have illustrated they have not grasped what the problem is," said New York University scholar Barnett Rubin, who attended the brainstorming summit.
[Snip]
The problem really is in neighboring Pakistan, where Taliban and Al Qaeda commanders lurk, said Rubin, an informal Obama adviser. "If you add more troops in Afghanistan, you'll probably just lead to more [Taliban] recruitment," he said.
The two candidates also fail to recognize that to win, troops need to mingle more with the locals, Naval Postgraduate School scholar Thomas Johnson said. "We have to go and find out what the people want, and then deliver on that," Johnson said. "The Taliban are operating like this seven days a week."
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
Most of the information that the President would provide may not provide classified details, but a summary would be provided (if nothing else, to prevent stupid and possibly dangerous responses to questions regarding US national security).
But I don't trust Obama on fighting terrorists so I still hope McCain wins.
It seems to me the story is only half accurate. Based on the title one would think that both campaigns had reps. present. Media bias would result in only telling one side of the story about the Obama rep. being there.
The author called it a “brainstorming session on how to win,” closer reading indicates it was more likely a summary briefing to update both presidential candidates regarding existing conditions, before they make too many campaign promises on a topic they have been ignorant in regards too.
Lastly if both candidates are clueless about Afghanistan, then what is the rest of Congress?
Well we will be, whether you like it or not. Just like we are still in Korea, Germany (and all over Europe) Japan, the Philippines, some "Stans" Iraq, And a hundred other places.
Don't fret, the population of the USA is always growing. We will stay there and play "wack a mole" for as long as it takes. As long as they keep popping them out of their wombs to play jihad, we'll keep wacking.
If we don't, and run away from this battle, then we are doomed. It won't take long for this particular enemy to regroup, and you can bet next time, there will be no place to run away to.
Well, all I can say is that I hope you’re wrong. I want the locals to fight the good fight. When things get out of hand then we come in if needed.
You understand though that with the current birth rates and immigration, massive changes will occur. I doubt that your attitude will prevail for very long... Let’s see, Bosnia, Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, Japan, Philippines...and more I’m sure I’ve missed... Do you really think that we can continue to police the world without local help?
Yep, Afganistan has never had enough troops, the feckless NATO commanders/troops have also been a problem...plus the place is a shiite-hole with all the drug $$ that supports the bad guys.
“Both candidates putting so much emphasis on troop numbers in Afghanistan have illustrated they have not grasped what the problem is,” said New York University scholar Barnett Rubin,”
Writer jjv responds,
“LOL, Experts? This Rubin guy is a PAID Obama advisor. And BTW, this is exactly the argument we heard before the successful surge in Iraq. All the liberals screamed that more troops would only mean more terrorists....”
Yep, totally agree. There are too many keyboard commandos on this forum who can post stuff like “I hope to stay and kill as many jihadists as possible” while sitting in their air conditioned house.
“get drunk and vote McCain”
McCain is clueless about how to fight Liberals, clueless about how to run a campaign, and clueless that thumbing his nose in the conservative base’s face will get him nowhere. IMO, this election is a national disgrace.
Did you see this one?
btt
“build a fence”
In the early days of atomics, there was talk of using a-bombs to trench out huge canals like the the Panama Canal. Maybe we should blast out a huge, radioactive canal between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“Why are you so quick to end a fight against them?”
It is my understanding that ‘taliban’ has become a catch-all term for anyone the US fights there, while often conflicts or local or tribal. It is quite possible the ‘taliban’ the us fights in one place have little in common with the former government, and more in other cases.
Was that called: "Operation Plowshare"?
Seemed like a good idea at the time. Would have made converts out of a lot of Soviet-sponsered assholes in the region ............... FRegards
Carpet bomb Quetta...
Thanks,...just now catching up...
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