Bamster Failing in Afghanistan

“Kinda sad....

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/89737a84-85d5-11de-98de-00144feabdc0.html

All of which will put Mr Obama in a quandary. As the US troop presence grows, so too does the cost of America�s efforts in Afghanistan. Last month a record 76 coalition troops were killed in Afghanistan � more than in 2002, 2003 or 2004 and roughly half the level of the intervening years. As US troops fan out into the smaller towns in the new �clear, hold and build� strategy, the fatality rate is likely to rise. At some point, the monthly body bag count is likely to exceed 100 � which could spark a serious backlash in the US.

How will Mr Obama respond? There are no easy exit strategies from the policy Mr Obama has embraced. From a political point of view, Mr Obama is following up on his campaign critique of the Bush administration, which he said diverted resources from the �war of necessity� in Afghanistan against al-Qaeda and its allies to a �war of choice� in Iraq, which is now winding down.


The fun part is he really doesn't intend to WIN (HELLO NIXON). The sad thing is they have taken "airstrike" requests from field commanders UNLESS they are being overrun.

GOOD CALL THERE BAMSTERBOY”

“Well, he had to accelerate some military activity somewhere so he could at least a chance to live out his four years.

The definition of WIN in Afghanistan has a streaming update on the 'National Debt Clock' 24/7.
last edited: 8/11/09 8:18:21 AM”

“Judging from Afghanistan's fractious history of dealing with meddling foreign powers, I'm certainly not convinced modest troop increases are going to accomplish much more than continuing to wear down the Taliban and AQ (not that that's a bad thing). So how is Obama going to extend Kabul's writ to the countryside, stabilized and defensible, after American troops leave? I'd like to hear details.”

“Mutt...you know Alexander was the last major leader to control Afghanistan (well the area) You ought to read his thoguhts on it.”

“Do the KIA's in Afghanistan get benefits? I mean the PrezBO said the war was over...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/07/us-no-longer-at-war-with-terrorism/

It's official. The United States is no longer engaged in a "war on terrorism." Neither is it fighting "jihadists" nor locked in a "global war."

President Obama's top homeland security and counterterrorism official on Thursday declared as unacceptable the terms crafted by the George W. Bush administration.

It is now solely a "war with al Qaeda" and its violent extremist allies, said John Brennan, head of the White House homeland security office, during a speech Thursday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.

The semantic shift is intended to bring precision to the way the president and his aides talk about the nation's efforts to defeat al Qaeda, though Bush administration officials say the policies that are being put to use have not changed dramatically.

Granted it is a bit ironic that since we "ended the war" more people have died....”

“though Bush administration officials say the policies that are being put to use have not changed dramatically.

You see, Mark? Obama delegates the Big Decisions, and instead focuses on silly semantics games.”

“That sounds like the way Reagan ran things, why was it such a good idea then, but not now?”

“Why did t*lypoo stop with his postings of the 'death count'?
Oh, that's right, his messiah has the war now.
*snicker*”

“That sounds like the way Reagan ran things, why was it such a good idea then, but not now?

I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing. When remembering all the bullsh*t he said during the campaign to fool the fools, I shudder to think about him actually doing it all.”

“'Granted it is a bit ironic that since we "ended the war" more people have died....”

That is why that war will never end. Get the hell out of there. Let their gawd handle it, ours hasn't a clue of what to do.”

“Hmm...if Uzbekistan decides to seriously thumb its nose at Moscow and allows us to base, we probably could get the hell out of Afghanistan. We could keep up real pressure against the Taliban from there. They ran away crying when our proxy Northern Alliance forces mobilized with our air support. There is little reason to assume we can't make similar arrangements in the future. And, with new bunker-busting munitions coming online soon we can bomb the ever living crap out of any large scale terrorist encampments or training grounds whenever necessary. We could satisfy our terrorist fighting goals and have the afghanis (and pakis) do the real dirty work of deciding their future.”

“Obama aides see need for more troops in Afghanistan...

Blame Bush for woes...



*snicker*
idiots”

“I have to agree, it seems like the conflict in Afghanistan is essentially unchanged from the way Bush did things - we're still killing innocent people, throwing our weights around, and making more enemies over there. Very disheartening. I'd hoped for better”

“So pepsi, violin and tilt have refused to condemn obama on his continuance of Bush's foreign policy (not only in A-stan but pretty much the whole deal). They pilloried Bush but give obama a pass. You seem honest enough to admit disappointment. Are you ready to call them out on their hypocrisy?”

“The surge worked in Iraq, it could work here.”

“I haven't seen them state any support for Obama's foreign policy either... I'd call THAT hypocrisy. Keeping quiet about the topic... I can't put thoughts in their heads or words in their mouths, but I'd guess that, particularly on this site where ANY admission of fault or confession of being incorrect is remembered, dredged up, and copy/pasted for years to come in order to discredit an (often unrelated) argument, if they're also disappointed in Obama's foreign policy, I'd say they have a pretty good reason not to admit as much.

so overall, I'm gonna go Swiss and claim neutrality to Violin and Tilt on this one. They can argue for themselves - or not”

“The surge worked in Iraq, it could work here.�
Wounded Knee
1:56:25 PM
9/04/09

Iraq and Afghanistan are two completely different wars. Iraq had some form of infrastructure and organized government. Afghanistan is still in the stone age.

Afghanistan doesn't even have roads. We need a few special forces in Afghanistan and lots of drones.

Keep Kabul safe and bomb the insurgents. We are not going to turn Afghanistan into a Democracy.”

“ok well at the risk of getting some panties in a wad I can understand why some disagreed with the Iraq war but not Afganistan. That's where the bad guys are from. No one disputes that. If we leave now, they'll claim victory over the great satan....”

“... assuming the REAL bad guys are still even in the country...”

“yeah well they're prolly in Pakistan...who has nukes...so letting them go isn't a good idea IMO.”

“if he really wants a nuke, he'll be in russia. They "misplace" nukes like it's a contest up there and that scares the hell outta me
last edited: 9/04/09 2:34:01 PM”

“Afghanistan is the only country in the world that will be less corrupt after we leave. It always has been the only country that is more corrupt that the USA. We should be out completely before winter. Weren't the majority of the 19 from Saudi Arabia, why aren't there, let's see?

Ten$'s a day won't buy off Afghanistanis when they have opium to sell.

Why does the US only invades old allies , never enemies?
last edited: 9/04/09 3:11:01 PM”

“Because we're all aliens....isn't it obvious?”

“I wonder what the really right wing Muslims in Afghanistan are saying about how the US is treating their rights? Are they calling us commies, socialist, fascist or just ass holes?”

“Again Obama will realize why the Bushies pulled back from Afghanistan and ran over to pick on the more helpless Iraqis. Bring um home!

The Russians have to be laughing.
last edited: 9/05/09 11:33:35 AM”

“You mean the right wing Russians or the left wing Russians?”

“You know that the real communist in Russia are the right wingers that don't want change, same as here just the different status quo. Most all Russians will enjoy a laugh and of course another Vodka.”

“Dood, we've been over this already. Don't tell me you can't read....remember Van Jones? Let's talk David Horowitz if you're still not clear on things. The progressive left if fraught with communist and you dang well know it. That you won't admit it just makes me think you must be one of them...”

“When did I say I wouldn't admit that we have commies in government, what's wrong with another view, is it all your Glen Birch Blindness or nothing. We live in a diverse world, with many different views, of which many will be exactly opposite of yours and that's it's beauty.
You and your dark age thinkers better prepare yourselves for a world in which countries like China are not going to go along with our dominating ways much longer. We are not situated very well in the energy side of trade, or better, really no kind of trade.

Our schools can't produce capable people well enough to advance our living standards fast enough to keep us from having to borrow to maintain our overconsumption of everything legal and illegal.

We better be looking at alternative ways of living that more accurately fits our budget. Returning to the past isn't going to make any of that happen.

You still haven't answered my question of last week, 'If commies are so incapable, why are you afraid of them and hate them so?'”

“I never said they were incapable. I will live free or die....How bout you?”

“I want to live the best way I can in a country that has it's chit together. I don't mind giving up some of the privacy things, I have nothing to hide. I don't mind allowing government to dictate somethings I do, but in exchange I want business, government, churches, banks, all organizations to be completely transparent in their activities and nasty ass consequences when they don't.

I'm not afraid to talk things over with friend or foe and detest the secrecy of ass bites like Cheney and , as it is looking more each day, Obama. Barack is falling into the same patterns that all top officials do when biz begins the pressure their money exerts to crush all originality and creativity from even the best of thinkers.”

“Well I mean Obama said he was ending the war against the Islamo Fascists so this must be some new group killing Americans right?”

“Fantastic - our military posture is becoming more and more tenuous, and Obama is f*cking IGNORING it. What an a$$hole. MAKE UP YOUR GODDAM MIND OBAMA!


[Anyone watching the “60 Minutes” segment last night on Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, our top commander in Afghanistan for about 70 days now, must have been struck by this comment from McChrystal to reporter David Martin:

“I’ve talked to the president, since I’ve been here, once on a VTC [video teleconferece].” Link]”

“Afghanistan is a losing proposition. It would be wise for Obama to pull the troops out.”

“Maybe so, rosey. I'm sure it's an agonizing decision between bad and worse. But the POTUS is supposed to be the one to make those tough calls, and all Obama's done so far is shirk the responsibility.”

“
You�ll give yourself a hernia if you go too hard against History.

� Wm. Langewiesche

”

“Let Israel deal with all of this crap. Why aren't they in Upurghanista with us, are they special like chicken hawks?”

“it's a schitty situation all around, in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Whetever our intentions were for going into the country, we've now done so much damage to both nations that we'd look like tremendous a-holes to just pull out now without trying to do damage control. However, at this point, the more we're there, whether trying to fix things or not, the more we look like a-holes simply because we don't belong there and we shouldn't be running the country and telling their governments what to do. It's like banging your cousin... once there's penetration, there's probably no way to get out of it without looking bad.

$5 to anyone who can prove I'm not the first person to compare the war in Afghanistan to incest!”

“We should stay in Afganistan for one reason. To be able to go into Pakistan if we have to.”

“Then we should be in Alaska cause Sarah's not there to chase out the truth if it should arise and we may need to move in on that socialized medicine there in Canada any moment now, eh?”

“Why isn't t*lty posting his messiah's 'death' numbers?”

“Ok, who thinks Mutt would be whining about Obama 'micro-managing' the generals if he spoke to them every day?”

“

Iran is far more troubling, in my mind. I don't kow what the answer is but it's not a good situation. I say keep the troops in Iraq and Afganistan because then....we surround them”

“Chicken Hawk says, "we surround them", but he isn't actually there.”

“We can afford that, let's let our own people have a piece of cake and we'll keep giving money to all the countries of the world, one more piece of cake citizen? Here foreigner, would you like my job?
last edited: 9/29/09 5:23:10 AM”

“um NEITHER are you. I am going with the Commanders on the Ground on this one.

The really scary thing is that Health Care which there IS no Obama plan was a RUSH, We gotta do~!!!! NOW NOW NOW....in August. But the need to defend our troops takes 'Serious consideration"

WTF is that all about?

I am guessing Obama just discovered for the first time in his political career he cannot vote "Present".”

“Let's listen to the warriors. Should we build more bombs Mr. BombBuilder, why yes, any time is a good time for more bombs Mr. Taxpayer. Should we occupy more countries Mr. WarMaker?

Hey, all you big strong men, let's do it all over again.”