Posted on 12/30/2014 4:38:57 PM PST by xzins
"We, at no point in time, have imposed our will against the Taliban. We have not vanquished the enemy from the battlefield," former U.S. Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) told Fox News Monday night.
West, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who was deployed to Afghanistan, spoke to Fox News Monday night, one day after the 13-year war in Afghanistan came to a formal end.
The war may be over, but the fighting hasn't stopped. Four Afghan soliders were killed while repelling a Taliban attack on an army checkpoint in southern Helmand Province late Sunday, the Associated Press reported. Afghan government forces and the Taliban have been fighting in that area in the six months since NATO troops withdrew.
"There have been no (Taliban) capitulations," West told Fox News. "And one of the sayings that I heard them say quite often in my two-and-a-half years in Afghanistan was that you may have watches, but we have the time. And when we look at Afghanistan, it is not a war in and of itself. The real war against Islamic totalitarianism, Islamofascism and jihaddism and terrorism continues on."
Although U.S. combat operations have formally ended in Afghanistan, the U.S. is still fighting an ideology, West said: "And again, we have not de-legitimized that ideology.
"And let us remember that next year, in 2015, those five senior members of the Taliban that we released in exchange for a deserter, Bowe Bergdahl, will be returning back to Afghanistan. So now you are starting to see the reconstitution of the enemy's leadership, which is very deadly."
The same thing happened in Iraq, West noted. He said he's "very concerned" about the 13,500 mostly American troops that will remain in Afghanistan to provide training and support to the Afghan military.
President Obama repeatedly has said that the war is coming to a "responsible" end.
And on Sunday, at an end-of-war ceremony, U.S. Gen. John Campbell, commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), told troops, "The road before us remains challenging, but we will triumph."
The Taliban on Monday declared victory, saying in a statement that the U.S.-led force had "rolled up its flag" without having achieved "anything substantial."
Absolute clarity by this military mind that goes right to the simple truth. The US has not prevailed in Afghanistan.
For political reasons, of course....again.
But, it is the simple truth.
If any conservative wins in 2016, then Allen West for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and then SecDef.
President Obama repeatedly has said that the war is coming to a “responsible” end.
Well, we know what “responsible” means to him. It means America loses.
Just the opposite is true.
We have been driven from the battle field; not by the enemy but by the ideology of our leadership.
Not only is our leadership not willing to take the fight to the enemy it is not willing to condemn the savage ideology of the enemy.
For the Left wasn’t Afghanistan war supposed to be the “good” war and now they’re running away from it.
Prayer Xzins ... May God Vanquish America’s and Israel’s enemies.
In accordance with every major, and most minor decision he has ever made. In absolutely no instance that I can remember, has he made the best decision for the USA or it's citizens. All of his decisions have been detrimental to us.
He is more likely to be Secretary of Defense than a Joint Chief of Staff.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff are active duty generals or Admirals. West is retired. But I suppose he could be recommissioned all though I don’t know of it ever being done except in time of war.
And weren't going to either. Nor were we going to vanquish the enemy in our compounds. The enemy in the Afghan government. Or any other enemy in that God forsaken country.
Commissioned officers can always be reinstated. In his case, he was drummed out for a good decision he made when interrogating an enemy. I want to put him back in the saddle so he can exit with proper respect. Even if only for a year. Then SecDef.
May America and Americans prove you wrong ...
Commissioned officers can always be reinstated. In his case, he was drummed out for a good decision he made when interrogating an enemy. I want to put him back in the saddle so he can exit with proper respect. Even if only for a year. Then SecDef. He was a young LTC fast-tracker at the time. He’d have had a row of stars by now anyway.
The only one I can think of is when he makes his picks for the NCAA tournament, he picks an American school to win. Of course, if there were ever a non-American school that he could pick, I’m sure he would.
May America and Americans stop sacrificing our blood and money in a no-win effort.
It never happened like that or this ... Prayers for calm. Prayers for Victory. Prayers for Peace.
Our leaders are female reproductive parts.
If you have a rabid coyote on the ranch, you KILL IT!
The Taliban are rabid dogs.
Turn them into roadkill.
yes, Xzins, that look on our thoughts and minds is too kill them all ... Oh what a perfect day though should Peace come ...
“Patton’s advance squeezes German Salient tigher. Cuts its waist to 13 miles,” was today’s New York Times’ front page headline on this date about fighting yesterday 70 years ago as his 3rd Army clobbered Nazi Tanks, armored cars, and German soldiers after freeing Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. Thousands of German prisoners were taken. Many simply ran away.
How times have changed since total victory against a brutal, sometimes savage army that wanted to also destroy tbe Amefican way of life and freedom was the only goal for American Armed Forces leadership from the Oval Office on down.
“Patton’s advance squeezes German Salient tigher. Cuts its waist to 13 miles,” was today’s New York Times’ front page headline on this date about fighting yesterday 70 years ago as his 3rd Army clobbered Nazi Tanks, armored cars, and German soldiers after freeing Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. Thousands of German prisoners were taken. Many simply ran away.
How times have changed since total victory against a brutal, sometimes savage army that wanted to also destroy tbe Amefican way of life and freedom was the only goal for American Armed Forces leadership from the Oval Office on down.
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