Posted on 07/07/2010 9:57:33 AM PDT by xzins
to read, thanks
No matter what we do in Afghanistan, we won’t change a 1000 years of their culture. When we leave, this year or ten years from now, nothing will have changed. People in Afghanistan will go back to what they know...........14th Century way of living.
We need a world of free nations agreement that all free nations’ special operations units and intelligence agencies should go full time after any Al Qaeda member (or associate group) anywhere they find them with shoot to kill authorization.
I never thought Afghanistan was that important. Sure, hang around and stomp down any training camps that spring up but bringing them out of the 14th century? They can do that themselves. In Iraq at lest there was a somewhat educated society with plenty of natural resources that in the hands of someone like Saddam or Iran would be extremely dangerous. Priorities, I guess. The Democrats were intellectually dishonest about Afghanistan during the election and now they are paying the price.
I agree on an “exterminate the roaches” plan for Afghan, but the nation doesn’t have the will to carry it out.
Leave Afghan...everytime the roach population grows, go back in and exterminate them.
It’s the “leave...go back” part that we don’t have the will to follow through on.
Forgot #10: he hates his own country.
I wouldn’t leave entirely... I’d keep a foot in the door in order to wack-a-mole the roaches while they’re small. Once you leave, there’d be no will to go back and the roaches would just grow as large as they did in the 90s.
Are you saying that we should keep our kids over in Afghanistan forever? I don’t agree with this. We don’t raise our children to live in Afghanistan. We can, if need be, handle this from the air. No more boots on the ground.
From the air might work but not everything can take off from air craft carriers or fly overland so ground bases are sometimes needed. Also we have “our children” (who are actually grownups who volunteered to serve our country) in desolate places all over the world (countries you’ve probably never heard of) as well as cold war places they may no longer be needed. Why are ground troops in Korea, Japan, Germany, Spain, Egypt all OK but not OK in Afghanistan?
How to keep a foot in the door? America will have a hard time with that one, too. (See post #10) I have a relative there now. We’ve had close family in one or the other of our war fronts continuously since 2004. It does get old.
Personally, I sort of like the create relations with each of Afghan’s umpteen prefects and treat them like separate governments approach. If they want national disintegration, then let them have it.
Yeah not nearly as much fun as duty in Germany or Japan or maybe even Korea where our feet are firmly planted "in the door".
I sort of like the create relations with each of Afghan’s umpteen prefects and treat them like separate governments approach.
Sure, if it gets the job done.
Because we don't have as large a military as we used to have. It's gets to the point where you just can't stretch that few people that far.
Germany, Japan, and Korea are a strategic advantage: forward staging areas.
Then you redistribute based on current priorities. What are we afraid of in Japan? Germany? Seems obvious. How many times have we tried to wash our hands entirely of a bad tasting war only to get bit in the arse again down the road. People can say we made the same mistake of Vietnam but the only difference between Vietnam and Korea is that we hung around in Korea and didn’t show the world that America = Paper Tiger.
Forward staging areas for where?
Our troops in most all other countries are making a difference. I do not believe we will make any difference in Afghanistan. We are not at war in Korea, Japan, Germany, Spain or Egypt........right?
Excellent point
Staging areas: America has been protected by its geographic location away from the other large landmasses, separated by oceans. Having bases ourselves on other continents removes any necessity to seize one if that became an issue. They are also strategically located to quickly project substantial power.
OK, I'm confused. We have troops in Korea, Japan, Germany, Spain and Egypt to...make a difference? You lost me. I thought we were talking about squashing roaches a minute ago. We should only have troops in places where we are NOT at war??? I ain't talking about thousands and thousands here... just enough to keep the terror camps from rebuilding. This forward position in Afghanistan could also be useful for the NEXT war which could be close by.
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