Something I wish a U.S. president would say about Afghanistan (or some place similar).

[harmonica]

Dayton3 obviously not

 

[Dayton3]

Dayton3 obviously not

Why do you make everything regarding me so personal?

 

[harmonica]

Why do you make everything regarding me so personal?

hahahhahahahah!!!!! you might want to look at your post # 9

 

[Missourian]

So, how long do you think we should stay there? 1 year? 5? 10? 50? 100? You wanna wait until the Taliban goes away? In that part of the world that could take centuries, and for what? That country is a fucked up mess, that's the way it was before we got there and that's the way it'll be the day we leave.

Ya break it, ya bought it.

 

[Dayton3]

hahahhahahahah!!!!! you might want to look at your post # 9

What is wrong with suggesting someone learn to read? When the nature of their posts suggest they don't know how.

 

[harmonica]

Dayton3 you started it by being a jackass

 

[Dayton3]

Dayton3 you started it by being a jackass

How so?

 

[harmonica]

Dayton3
answered in my post

learn to read

 

[Yarddog]

1. I don't believe the Afghan gov't asked us to leave. It's doubtful they would do that knowing the Taliban will kill them all after we're gone.

2. A small contingent of US military would be useless, from what I hear the Afghan military is already being executed over there. Any American who is still there would be in grave danger. If we're not there in enough numbers then our presence would be negligible, who's going worry about an American outpost that doesn't do anything?

3. What great progress are you talking about inside of Kabul? I've not seen any indication of that.

4. The lives we lost and money spent are gone, whether we stay or go. I think we're better off considering the future lives that will be lost if we stay and saved if we leave.

5. I think there has to be a clear understanding: there will be severe retribution from us for any future terrorist camps or activities originating in Afghanistan. Not another deployment of troops but bombings and missile attacks against Talban leaders enough to be a real deterrent.

Well I remember pretty well reading at some point back the Afghan Government telling us we wernt welcome any more. They may regret it soon though.

What do you mean a small contingent wouldnt do any good? We only had like 2,500 soldiers left in Afghanistan in a supporting role and it kept the Afghan military functioning. We supplied needed reconosance and advice... plus, just by a small presence there, Taliban pretty much knew that at a moments notice we could always bring in more. It was just a deterrent that seemed to work. We haven't been fighting a war over there for years now, so I don't understand the handwringing except to politicians it becomes a thing all about re-election to say we have ended the war.
Soldiers we have over there now are in a volunteer military... they pretty much know what they are signing up for. Keeping a couple thousand troops over there is better I think than letting things get out of control, then one day needing to do this all over again, costing thousands of more U.S. lives.

Bombings are a bad solution as well, that just means more civilian deaths, and creating more Taliban who hate us. As it turns out, polls among Afghan civilians showed over 80% of them dissaproved of Taliban rule, I would have called that progress. What is happening now though in these towns that are falling to the Taliban is, they roll in , begin to kidnap and torture women and children and the towns people immediately stand down. It's nice to believe that civilized Afghans can stand up to those people, but I dont think theres any way civilians can stand up to that kind of barbarism. Every town IS going to fall.

 

[harmonica]

Dayton3 hahhahahah--where do you get this ''personal'' crap from??? YOU are taking it personal = the proof is you bring up ''personal''....did I hurt your feelings???

 

[Dayton3]

Dayton3 hahhahahah--where do you get this ''personal'' crap from??? YOU are taking it personal = the proof is you bring up ''personal''....did I hurt your feelings???

No one likes to have their knowledge or judgement questioned.

 

[harmonica]

Dayton3 so, I hurt your feelings? I apologize

 

[Dayton3]

Dayton3 so, I hurt your feelings? I apologize

Your patronizing post is not an apology. Not accepted.

 

[my2¢]

I only wish our presidents would realize that our military's forte is not nation building. Nor should it be. And before we see any more such attempts, let's demand that our politicians first demonstrate their expertise at such endeavor by solving the problems and rebuilding our own inner cities.

 

[Dayton3]

I only wish our presidents would realize that our military's forte is not nation building. Nor should it be. And before we see any more such attempts, let's demand that our politicians first demonstrate their expertise at such endeavor by solving the problems and rebuilding our own inner cities.

Radically different tasks. And we have had great success at "nation building" in the past. Japan, West Germany, to name just some obvious examples.

 

[Desperado]

"We can't win. No one wants us there. We don't want to be there. Our troops will never be popular there nor supported by the locals. It will always be dangerous and expensive.

But we can't walk away. Anymore than police can simply walk away from a domestic violence situation. Sometimes all you can do is do your best in an utterly thankless situation. But we can't walk away and ignore it anymore than you can walk away and ignore a small fire burning. Small fires almost inevitably become bigger fires and then holocausts.

Sometimes the best we can do is kill people that need to be killed and hope for the best.

After 20 years we damn sure can walk away

 

[my2¢]

Radically different tasks. And we have had great success at "nation building" in the past. Japan, West Germany, to name just some obvious examples.

The success of those rebuilding efforts was accomplished by the efforts of those named countries after the opportunity afforded them by our military's victory followed up by our economic aid, the Marshall Plan in Europe and similar plan for Japan. I don't see that 2nd part of addressing economic development and social justice all that different than what is needed in our inner cities. For all the money Washington sends our cities, I am not impressed. Why should I believe they're any better at the far harder task of nation building?

 

[Dayton3]

After 20 years we damn sure can walk away

What is so significant about 20 years?

 

[kyzr]

What is so significant about 20 years?

20 years shows the hubris of the pentagon and deep state regarding "nation-building" a backward shithole muslim country.

 

[Dayton3]

20 years shows the hubris of the pentagon and deep state regarding "nation-building" a backward shithole muslim country.

How? It took far more than 20 years for South Korea to become a free and prosperous nation after the North Korean invasion was beaten back.