Posted on 09/07/2012 1:44:43 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
"We've broken the Taliban's momentum in Afghanistan, and begun the transition to an Afghan lead," President Obama said during his weekly address on Sept. 1. "Next month," the president continued, "the last of the troops I ordered as part of the surge against the Taliban will come home, and by 2014, the transition to Afghan lead will be complete."
This is not the first time the president has talked about Afghanistan in this manner. And Obama administration officials have repeatedly made the same argument: the Taliban's "momentum" was broken by a surge of forces into Afghanistan beginning in 2010. Consequently, the president and his advisers contend, it is safe to bring American forces home in large numbers.
It is undeniable that the Afghan surge made significant progress in the southern part of the country. Prior to the surge, the Taliban and its allies made startling gains, showing an ability to control territory in Helmand and Kandahar that they had previously lost. The surge reversed those gains. But the insurgency is not confined to those southern provinces. The insurgency operates throughout the country, and is especially strong in the east. While one can reasonably argue that the surge was successful in the south, a similar counterinsurgency plan was not carried out in full elsewhere.
As a result, the Taliban's "momentum" has not been truly broken. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at longwarjournal.org ...
Overall, one thing is clear: the Taliban-led insurgency remains capable of maintaining an extraordinary level of violence throughout Afghanistan, far worse than prior to the surge. This demonstrates that the jihadist hydra is anything but a spent force and could easily recapture more territory as Coalition forces withdraw from the country.
One fact is certain from numerous polls and surveys: most Afghans hate the Taliban.
He has ordered (not so) "secret" negotiations with them; has released (quietly) captured Jihadi Terrorist from prison camps in Afghanistan as well as some scumbags from GITMO while tying the hands of our Warriors with his insane ROE's; his good "bud" Karzai is cozying up to them; they get protection, sanctuary and support from Pakistan as we increase our "bribes" by Billions; and he refuses to even utter the word "victory/win," etc.
Easy prediction: Within 1 year (or less) from our "bugging out" the Taliban WILL be back in power.
Bring them (Troops) home now!
The essence of war is violence. Moderation in war is imbecility. - Lord Macauley
My son just returned from Afghanistan and from his front line vantage point, the Taliban is not broken. Also he says that most Afghans are dirty, corrupt, and stupid. They are like a reed in the wind. If the Americans are in town giving them food, guns, protection, whatever, they are for Americans. The moment the Americans leave and a Taliban group show up looking for recruits, the town is full of anti-Americans.
Don’t put your trust in polls, politicians, or the Afghans.
Why would it be?
How many have died in Afghanistan since Obama was immaculated?
I remember seeing a poll conducted of Afghans about their opinions of the Taliban, and most popular they were was among Pashtuns with 25% approving of them.
The question is whether or not those opinions mean that they’ll be willing to fight them with Obama ready to bail on them.
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