Posted on 09/28/2009 9:01:56 AM PDT by Sergeant Tim
Roggio recently did the math and found that since January 2008, “74 airstrikes and ground raids the Taliban and al Qaeda’s network in Pakistan’s lawless tribal agency [have killed] 13 senior al Qaeda leaders and one senior Taliban leader [and] sixteen other mid-level al Qaeda and Taliban commanders and operatives.”
General McChrystal was placed in command to fight a counter-insurgency operation there with the mission to protect the civilian populace and train up the Afghanistan army and police. The mission entailed setting the conditions for good governance, the infusion of aide, and the building of needed infrastructure. Yet he does not currently have in country sufficient troops to do all those things. Roggio explains the General’s frustration:
“We will not invade northwest Pakistan. … There is another irony with this. Last year, what were we told? We were told conducting cross-border attacks into Pakistan was illegal, it’s immoral, it’s against international law, [and] what we’re doing is killing civilians. Now the same people who told us that was bad want to ramp up those types of attacks. What am I missing here? It is a convenient way out. They’ve learned that Afghanistan is much harder than they thought. They thought everybody supports Afghanistan, it’s the “good” war … but once they found out how difficult [it is] and what the situation was, now they want to back off.”
(Excerpt from Roggio's interview, the full audio, and my post-interview commentary after the jump.)
(Excerpt) Read more at 911familiesforamerica.org ...
Al Qaeda is winning.
Obama caved, al qaeda waved.
Al Qaeda is winning because they know full well that left-leaning Americans do not have the stomach and the fortitude to fight them and win.
How is Malaysia these days? Thinking about a trip to KL.
Even if they haven’t, yet, Hussein will probably soon invite them to the WH and hug them on national tv.
For this reason, a country of democratically-elected leaders, if it is to go to war, has to go in strong and break a great many things very quickly and force unconditional surrender as fast as possible.
Nation building may be a good thing -- but it should be done after the enemy is defeated and knows itself to be defeated.
We used to understand this.
excellent analysis
Too bad odumbo is too busy to even look at any report let alone meet with the General he put there to change the strategy.
also how ironic is it that NOW we can’t set a deadline to exit Afghanastan since it would send the wrong message to the insurgents but it was ok for odumbo to set a deadline to exit Iraq?
can it get worse?
Caved? This year, Obama has already sent 21K more troops to Trashcanistan, that is MORE than recommended by either McCain or Bush in 2008. Rather than send even more into that rathole, we need to bring the troops home from Obama’s War NOW!
Give a call before you come would be nice to meet up - Im easy enough to find now thanks to Time.
Again, Obama has already sent in 21K more troops this year, that is more than recommended by either McCain or Bush in 2008. After seven years of failure in this futile crusade, we need to bring the troops home not spend more of our blood and treasure. The taxpayers can’t afford it.
They are not winning, we are not allowed to fight. There is a vast difference between the two. IMHO the military will not allow Vietnam to happen to them again..
Honest Conservative ping!
I understand not wanting one more to die.
So what happens when we leave? will Taliban become stronger? Will Al Queda establish more training camps?
Will it become easierto plan another attack once AlQ doesn’t have to worry about moving around?
Can you outline McCain’s plan for Afghanastan? Can you show the number that McCain wanted to send?
cite a link that shows Mccain’s plan was for less than the 21k odumbo has sent
McCain was probably not the answer either but facts matter so I would like to see the facts on mcCain’s plan that show it called for fewer troops than odumbo sent
The result it that they are suffering the heaviest losses since the first year of the war.
McCrystal has the cart before the horse. His new ROE of engagement demands our troops sacrifice their very lives rather than chance a civilian getting hurt. He acknowledges this strategy will result in higher troop deaths but reasons (?) that their sacrifice will help win the hearts and minds of the Afghans. Well, it won't win ours.
The Taliban are very happy over these New Rules of Engagement. It gives them unfettered reign to shoot at our troops without fear of return fire or air cover. This is treasonous. The irony is that, now the Taliban have free reing, they are setting off bombs, etc,, that are resulting in more civilians than ever getting killed.
LIVE LINK next post
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/75036.html
DEFEND OUT TROOPS, NOT THE TALIBAN
IMHO, “McCain’s plan” is water passed the bridge.
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