U.S. is lost in Afghanistan

Chicago Tribune ^ | May 31, 2004 | Robert Novak

[GreatOne]

The handful of valiant American warriors fighting the ''other'' war in Afghanistan is not a happy band of brothers. They are undermanned and feel neglected, lack confidence in their generals and are disgusted by Afghan political leadership. Most important, they are appalled by the immense but fruitless effort to find Osama bin Laden for purposes of U.S. politics.

This bleak picture goes unreported because journalists are rarely seen there. It was painted to me by hard U.S. fighters who are committed to the war against terrorism but have a heavy heart. They talked to me not to undermine policy but to reveal problems that should and can be corrected.

Afghanistan constitutes George W. Bush's clearest victory since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The Taliban regime has been overthrown, eliminating al-Qaida's most important base. But the overlooked war continues with no end in sight. Narcotics trafficking is at an all-time high. If U.S. forces were to leave, the Taliban -- or something like it -- would regain power. The United States is lost in Afghanistan, bound to this wild country and unable to leave.

The situation in Afghanistan, as laid out to me, looks nothing like a country alleged to be progressing toward representative democracy under American tutelage. Hamid Karzai, the U.S.-sponsored Afghan president, is regarded by the U.S. troops as hopelessly corrupt and kept in power by U.S. force of arms.

Those arms are not what they seem. The basic U.S. strength in Afghanistan is 17,000 troops of ''straight-legged'' infantry -- conventional forces ill-prepared to handle irregulars. The new unit assigned to Afghanistan is the 25th Infantry Division, which has been stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and has not seen combat since the Vietnam War...."

[Old Sarge]

I've read enough. Some anti-everything Kitten Chow, anyone, on this fine Memorial Day? Bring a friend, or two...

[sinkspur]

I do not need to justify myself to such an inane individual as yourself with your married priests and other fuzzy "catholic" theology.

Of course you do, which is why you are doing it.

Married priests are not "fuzzy theology" since there are married priests in the Catholic Church.

Your politics, like your relgious views, are odd.

[FreeReign]

OBL is not in Afghanistan. He's in Iran.

I wonder if Novak can still identify Iran on a map.

[Pukin Dog]

Haven't seen anyone reporting this type of pessimism, although Novak is usually very accurate in his reporting.

No one in the administration, who might otherwise give Novak a positive story, would dare speak to Novak these days. He is cut off. But while no one speaks to him, he still has to produce a column. He will parrot whatever he is told, by whoever tells him. These days, it is the Zinni side of the aisle that gives him his information.

[Revolting cat!]

"Ladies and gentlemen, `Hooray for Everything' invites you to join them in a salute to the greatest hemisphere on earth, the Western Hemisphere! The dancingest hemisphere of all!"

[CWOJackson]

Novak lost it when his hat size started to exceed his considerable belt size.

[CWOJackson]

More of the company of scoundrels.

[RightWhale]

I am firmly against the war

So is everybody here. The war, however, was brought to us and it must be fought and won. We can't very well just decide we don't want war and go home because if we do that it will follow us all the way to our little towns.

[Gunslingr3]

LOL! Some people consider pat buchanan conservative also.

Buchanan is just a statist. He knows exactly what the government should tell you and everyone else to do about everything. He has no interest in liberty.

[Gunslingr3]

Mostly he's become just an arabist.

Can you qualify that, or do I sort it under 'baseless slander'?

[Libertarianize the GOP]

I think we are looking for the cheapest method of keeping the terrorist training camps closed. We are fighting to hold position in the hope that a couple of the large cities will develop functioning economies and that a country can grow out of that. Not much of a vision to sell the troops on.

[Gunslingr3]

Who said anything about leaving? We still have troops in Germany, Japan, and Korea 50 years after those wars were over. Why would Afghanistan be any different?

The Germans and Japanese quit shooting at us.

[Smartass]

"I am firmly against the war and I have no hesitation admitting it."

Did you miss something, or did the world war on terror go clear over your head?

[vbmoneyspender]

It's not baseless. Novak is not a friend of Israel, while he is very sympathetic to the Arab regimes in the region. That's pretty well known. In fact, if you asked Novak, I am pretty sure he would agree and tell you he is an Arabist.

[NutCrackerBoy]

Situation in Afghanistan is not rosy. Representative government isn't exactly flourishing. Saying its the fault of Islam - that such will never work is too pessimistic, but very little attention is being put into nation-building in Afghanistan. In the best of circumstances, it takes a long time for people to adopt free ways and free-market ways. Afghanistan was not as good a candidate for representative government as Iraq was to begin with.

We did vanquish the Taliban; our boys are doing grimy but excellent work keeping down terroristic sparks. As for keeping up appearances for political reasons - that is just one way to express what we are doing. Keeping the country pacified. It would require much more attention from the administration to do anything more than keep up appearances, and they have bigger fish to fry.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"The Bush Regime is more interested in doing things for political gains than for any other reason.
Troops are discouraged. They can see the politics."

Wrong, they can see people like you who don't understand the threats to the US.
Your brother on the other hand is not afraid to defend Freedom.

PS Your idol, Hanoi Kerry, supports your opinion.

[Gunslingr3]

It's not baseless. Novak is not a friend of Israel, while he is very sympathetic to the Arab regimes in the region. That's pretty well known. In fact, if you asked Novak, I am pretty sure he would agree and tell you he is an Arabist.

So I guess you stand alongside the others pissing on the notion of a neutral, free republic that Washington warned us to keep. What has America gained, aside from billions of tax dollars sent overseas, and thousands of dead, for dismissing Washington's advice and politically embroiling ourselves with Israel and the Middle East?

[Unam Sanctam]

The Bush Regime

You sound like Kerry with his idiotic "regime change" quip. A regime is a constitutional arrangement, and the connotation is an illegitimate one. The "Bush Administration" is the appropriate term. Both Iraq and Afghanistan are slowly changing for the better, and history will fully vindicate the actions of our courageous and righteous president.

[texasflower]

First of all, I object to the use of "Bush Regime" also.

Anyone using such a term shows himself for what he is. We know exactly what your agenda is.

Secondly, I have heard much different assessments of Afghanistan, just like the others have responded with to you.

Finally, so what if Bush is doing things for political gains?

President Bush knows that if he doesn't win re-election, everything that has been done in the WOT will have been wasted.

So it suits me just fine to see somethings being done to keep things stable right now.

We need President Bush to win, so we don't all die with a knife to our throats.

Got it?

[Robert_Paulson2]

The minute you negotiate with a muslim... you have lost.
The minute they force the first woman back under the veil, you can rest assured that they are in power politically.

the burquas are back in Afghanistan. the religious police are back at it again. Burquas and other Islamic "cultural symbols" should be illegal and anyone wearing them should have their "religious enforcement" police put to death.

the back of Islam must be BROKEN.. not just burdened or injured or temporarily embarrassed... and humiliation must be complete.


What ever that takes is what it will take to fight the war on Islam... because Islam IS terrorism. It is NOT a good religion. IT is evil. And everyday MORE Americans are believing it. AT some point that will become an irresistible majority in this nation. I doubt anything can stop that now.