Posted on 03/27/2009 6:31:24 AM PDT by Nutmeg08
Time running out on Afghanistan, US fears
White House concerned it only has a year to turn around Afghanistan and Pakistan before US public support wanes
* Simon Tisdall and Ewen MacAskill * guardian.co.uk, Thursday 26 March 2009 20.17 GMT
A US counter-intelligence Marine and his translator meet with local villagers in Kirta, Afghanistan
A US counter-intelligence marine and his translator meet with local villagers in Kirta, Afghanistan Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images
The Obama administration believes it has only a small window of opportunity, possibly just a year, to turn around the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan before US public support begins to erode, diplomatic and military officials say.
President Barack Obama briefed members of Congress yesterday before the unveiling of his new policy on Afghanistan and Pakistan today.
Among the proposals is a plan to send 4,000 more US troops to Afghanistan - in addition to the 17,000 combat troops he ordered last month - to train the Afghan army. Instead of creating a national army, they will focus instead on the more modest goal of trying to turn ragtag militia groups into forces capable of providing protection against the Taliban and al-Qaida.
More emphasis is to be given to civilian projects, with the US to double its civilian contingent in the country to 900 to provide help with agriculture projects, small businesses and setting up a rudimentary judicial service.
An official said yesterday that Obama's planners thought they had about 12 months to show measurable progress in Afghanistan before public support would wane and the policy turn into a Democratic-Republican political issue.
The planners fear the war could become an election issue as the mid-term Congressional elections in November next year draw near, and that Congress might be reluctant to fund the strategy.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
I support the troops the same way I always have. They're fine people.
But....wouldn't it be better to give OUR troops the $1,500,000,000.00 and strengthen them instead of the Pakistanis? The troops are on OUR side.
Too many forget lessens learned by the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan, some of the most hostile terrain in existence.
I always felt one reason for the Iraq theater of the War on Terror was to draw Al Qaeda into a more favorable terrain to kill them easier, which our Troops accomplished well.
I wonder too how many will return to civilian life as B HO sends them on half baked ideas to make him look like a leader, instead of actually defeating terrorist?
Send ACORN to Afghanistan. Naw, he’d never put his prostitute minions in harm’s way.
All he's ever done was be a community organizer for ACORN. What's he going to do with our troops? Demand they protest the enemy to death?
Oboma will get them all killed in an attempt to be "presidential." He's not qualified for this job. Oboma should resign before he does any more damage.
Or he is stetting up America for defeat and humiliation and will sacrifice American live to do it.
They move into an area and destroy the neighborhood, the police are not much help. I think their theory is that they know where they are and easier for them to control. When the landlords finally get them out, they move onto another neighborhood and it starts all over.
This is how I see Al Queda, when we finally pull out of Iraq and now into Afganastan, those AlQuada thugs will just go back into Iraq and take it back over. Then we have to go back into Iraq. I see no differance between them and our own brand of AlQueda gang banger thugs we have here.
They only way is to BOMB the hell out of them where they are. Oh I know, it must be Ramahdan every day over there. We are just training them on how to kill us.
” I always felt one reason for the Iraq theater of the War on Terror was to draw Al Qaeda into a more favorable terrain “
Me too. I am very concerned.
My son is one of those troops going back over there.
I just hope gates and petraeus are running things their way because I sure don’t trust bo.
I question the motive of the man that is sending them there>
This man is no friend of America and certainly not of the military. I'd like to know what he's up to
I dont see anybody here hoping for anything other than our soldier’s victory. The question is that Obama’s strategy is driven by political considerations here in in the US, not about ensuring that Afghanistan is secure and stable.
...and the TAHL-EE-BAHN
If I were in the military now, I would be looking for any way possible to get out and let the commie play his stupid games with some one elses life!
Be sure to send your son thanks, from another Viet Nam Vet.
I'll bet there will be "serge" of "self proclaimed" homosexuals being discharged this year. Just say you're a homosexual, and you get a free pass. Under Oboma, it may be the only way you're ever going to get back home.
It’s sad to have this commie in charge of those wonderful people.
Thanks DakotaRed! Thanks to you too!
God Bless ALL of our troops!!
McCain and Republicans in Congress call this quote “an excellent idea”.
It's different when they know they're loved. When they're hated, it's frightening. They know Oboma is going to feed them to the enemy for lunch.
Does anyone know which unit or brigade is being sent as the trainers?
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Snotty little hump, aren't you?
Freepers are starting to question the theory. That's a good thing.
How much do you know about Baluchistan and the role it plays in the area? Not much would be my guess. Did you know that Iran has been fighting the Baluchs for over a decade and have lost more troops in that on-going fight than we have in Iraq?
This move benefits Iran. It ignores both Tora Bora and the NW frontier area.
TOTUS has filled his ME department with virulant anti-Israel apparatchiks. They have openly espoused putting US troops into Gaza under UN control to oppose the Israelis. You going to support that mission? You going to be the good little German? I sure as hell won't.
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