Posted on 08/02/2017 4:02:39 PM PDT by be-baw
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has become increasingly frustrated with his advisers tasked with crafting a new U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and recently suggested firing the war's top military commander during a tense meeting at the White House, according to senior administration officials.
During the July 19 meeting, Trump repeatedly suggested that Defense Secretary James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford replace Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, because he is not winning the war, the officials said. Trump has not met Nicholson, and the Pentagon has been considering extending his time in Afghanistan.
Over nearly two hours in the situation room, Trump complained about NATO allies, inquired about the United States getting a piece of Afghan’s mineral wealth and repeatedly said the top U.S. general there should be fired.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
What would we win, if we won in Afghanistan? How would we know we have won? If we won, could all our soldiers come home?
The other reality check.....Pakistan is not our friend.
according to senior administration officials.
Just crap
Wasn't there a news story recently that we were drowning them with money?"
I saw an analysis recently that says he real problem is the Afghans are breeding like rabbits. How you gonna win a war like that?
I get that’s it’s hopeless...but if we leave then what?
How do you “win” in Afghanistan?
It will be interesting to see if this is brought up at a daily White House briefing in the near future and, if so, whether or not it is denied. My gut feeling is this article has credibility. Citing “senior administration officials” usually means just that. If it’s not denied, it’s probably true.
I don’t see the strategic imperative other than perhaps denying the Russians a warm water port for their navy and for exporting oil thru a trans-afghan pipeline.
Boy does this thread have some dumb posts including those of the military experts.
“How do you “win” in Afghanistan?”
No one has yet been able to. As others have asked, what’s the mission? Destroy ISIS? Ensure a stable government? Occupy territory enriched with minerals and exploit their natural resources?
Isn’t the war in Afghanistan the longest one the US has ever been waging? Yet we have nothing to show for it....except the one MOAB that was dropped was pretty cool...
“..How do you “win” in Afghanistan?...”
How do you win anywhere when you have a subversive media supporting a subversive political party at your back 24/7 that would rather see our Country destroyed than win a war against stone age savage inbreds ... or a worldwide communist conspiracy (as in the case of Vietnam-Soviet Union-ChiComs)?
On NPR last week, Trump was briefed on an idea to hire a ‘Forgien Legion’ like army of former ‘ Special Forces’ (about 4,000) to take over Afghanistan war. He was said to have liked the idea. It would save the DoD millions of dollars.
“that we are in their protecting Chinese owned mines!!! China hauls $1 trillion in minerals and we DO THE PROTECTION? “
Could be a good bargaining chip for the Pres?
Good post, an issue that we have haggled over for years, while our kids keep dying there.
There are a number of critical facts about Afghanistan:
The Pakhtuns are the problem.
They are all raised to hate foreigners. They still sing about and name the British officers they fought against hundreds of years ago.
They inherently hate any government greater than their own tribe. Anarchy, next to Islam is their common belief.
All of the Taliban, ISIS, whatever, Pakhtun fighters can attack at will and scurry back to safety in Pakistan to reload and resupply.
We have minimal interdiction in Pakistan, that is a permanent problem.
Given the preceding facts, there is no hope of winning, or peace, or even a stalemate........
EVER.
Sigh. And these reporters know how? Were they in the room?
Just consider it all fake news.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump is upset, but you must consider all this fake news CUZ NO ONE IS ON RECORD.
Both you and Nick are correct.
Nothing special about Afghanistan. Alexander conquered it with no technology at all.
“Just a matter of voltage” as Gene Hackman says to Denzel Washington in “Crimson Tide.”
Could be a good bargaining chip for the Pres”.
Here is the chip. Get me 500 c130A troop carriers and get our men out of that hell hole to nowhere!
You may be right, but how do you discern between leaks that come from senior administration officials and those that come from people around the fringes? Surely, the Trump Administration makes intentional leaks, just as any Administration does.
Landmines and napalm would put an end to this BS.
They’re coming over form Pakistan. Short of going to war with the Paki turds the whole southern border should be mined.
That’s two Leftist/Communist treaties we need to withdraw from.
The jihadis use landmine IEDs but we can’t? Says who? F them.
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