I agree with all you state in the referenced post except I think the logistics of the thing make your solution almost impossible. Bearing in mind, let me state right now, I’m not all that knowledgeable about the topography and politics of the region. I probably know more than most Americans but again, that’s not all that much.
It seems to me that the Taliban is not really an army; not a group of soldiers conscripted by a legal government, trained and uniformed and ready to fight under most recognized rules of warfare. So even if we were to get the “Taliban”, whatever that means, to agree to stop training terrorists, to give up Osama, who’s probably dead anyway but we can ask, to stop their tyranny of the Afghan people, there’s more where they came from.
And the “Taliban” might agree!
Two three weeks after this agreement, new fighters pour in from Pakistan and other crazed Muslim regions and soon a whole NEW “Taliban” is formed. They’ll certainly not obey any agreement by former terrorists and on and on it goes.
simply, the Afghanistan people need to defend themselves and as I understand it, these are not people who are such good fighters, they have no national pride, they associate themselves more as tribal members....and so on.
America’s job is to defend America because yes indeed, it was in Afghanistan that Al Queda thrived, grew and trained and hey, if I had to pick a place in the world to grow and train terrorists why...it would be Afghanistan! Saddam gave them some space but the whole world was watching Iraq so they had to find some devil place and Afghanistan it was.
I refuse to believe that it’s not possible to keep a predatory eye on the goings on in Afghanistan, to give the right guys a couple of bucks, to send in some CIA types....and keep such activities that endanger America...OUT. Beyond that, maybe help the Afghan “army”, “police” defend themselves against rogue nuts who would behead women in empty soccer fields, perhaps in advisory roles, perhaps by training.
But NOT with our troops in any way in danger or in any line of fire because it’s just not going to work.
At least as I see it and I am nothing but an armchair general, I acknowledge this.
Anyway, about “my” book....
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Robot+Hearts
It’s called “Robot Hearts” and it’s a compilation of stories about folks who met online.
Last week husband and I celebrated our 22 anniversary and thank you for your congratulations. But I state this fact that you know that in this book I declare, rightly I assert, that husband and I are probably the longest running couple who met online.
“Online”, heh, being relative you must understand. For husband and I met on a little network called Qlink. Our computer was a Commodore 64 with a whopping 64KB’s of RAM, a disk drive that weighed 75 pounds and a keyboard that had the puter’s power workings inside.
For over two years we talked, email, OLM’d (online messaged) each other. I was married to someone else at the time but for now, I won’t go there. We were separated, however.
We met for the first time in Philadelphia. He flew down from Massachusetts and I drove up from Merryland.
I tell of our story of brain infections, heart bypasses and how we’re still together and I offer that long term relationships are very possible that begin over the computer and I did read the whole book.
The writing is very good. Obviously the folks who submitted their stories a)have had online dating/relationship experiences and b)write very well about them.
The stories are funny, very sad, sometimes depressing. MY story is the best of the lot...she says modestly. It’s the best because the writing is good and the story is one of the few with a happy ending.
Although my story is not ALL happy as brain infections and paralytic iliacs are not happy things but the point is...well there’s that “death till we part” thing.
Later on I’ll be posting a book review of the thing on the Blogger section of FreeRepublic. The book’s taken off and is great beach reading. I will be doing book signings at a few book stores in the region although I really don’t like those things.
I’ve also got a few more “books” coming out, stories in analogies, Chicken Soup for the Soul type things. It’s where I get accepted the most.
As a retireee I’m right happy with the direction my new “career” in writing seems to be taking me.
A huge play by all,control of the poppy fields and production of heroin is akin to Mexicon drug lords and equally as important but I don't hear too much talk/chat about it.