Global Warming….Global Economy….Global Footprint…Global Socialism…Global Terrorism…..Global Energy Crisis…..Global War on Islamic Separatism! The list of problems grows….and so does our local unemployment rate! So does the fault line in local Real Estate prices. So does a definitive answer for a search that might yield equitable answers to a suggested National Heathcare program that won’t limit access, choice of procedures and doctors and of course all at an affordable price. How about limiting the cost of of prescription drugs? How about denying Big Pharma tax write-offs for advertising on television?
Back in the 70’s things from Afghanistan became very popular. Those big Afghan dogs, Black Pakistani/Afghanistani Hash and those long elegant coverup for ladies called “Afghans”. All of the above were very expensive for some reason. Considering, that in the 70’s Afghanistan was much akin to visiting the Himalayas or Tibet. Distant, far away, exotic, very poor and yet offering expensive items for Western consumption. It appears that nothing much changes through the years.
Global Military adventurism seems to know no bounds. We put people into Nicoragua, Columbia, Vietnam, Kosovo, the Phillipines, Somalia, Kuwait, Iraq and after 2001 – Afghanistan. Following on the heels of the failed Soviet Empire expansion…our theme song seemed to be based on an old Dolly Parton favorite: “Here We Come Again!” Initially, utilizing less than 4000 American Advisors we were able to rally the various Tribal Leaders and Overthrow the Dreaded Taliban/Al Qaeda folks and install our very own Western type leader: Hamid Karzai! A well spoken, Western educated guy…..that had lots of connection back home in Kabul and even a few realitives to help him along. All seemed well – then what? Vietnam Junior suddenly raised a Spectre of strange alliances, Poppy Wars, tribal feuds, organized crime, gangster threats and pay-offs, double dealing, 5th Column activities, IED’s, Democratic rule by day – Taliban rule by night! Continuous Cross Border Attacks! Corrupt Government Officials! The list goes on and on and is really nothing new. Welcome to Vietnam Junior!
The current desire of US Military leaders to add troups….sounds strangely familiar. In the movie “Full Metal Jacket”……”Yes, we got a directive from above….’search and destroy’ has been changed to ‘sweep and clear’. Sweep and Clear!” Unmanned attack aircraft like Global Hawk and the Reaper have transformed “Air Power”….all being operated out of locations in Las Vegas and Missouri. Taking out a group of Taliban/Al-Qaeda IED operators seemed so clean and surgical…until these brilliant bad guys started bringing their wives and kids with them to build roadside bombs.
The Afghan/Pakistani quilt is dark, complex, based on sweat labor, based on twisting the truth, misidentifying the enemy and making the price of occupation very expensive. They learned all of this during the Soviet Occupation. They learned it from us. We supplied the used AK-47’s, M-16’s and RPGs! We paid off those that would play our game for a week or two…..then switch sides. We didn’t really care back then…..we had no US troop there then! Today we do!
As Chevron, Union, Texaco and Shell Oil all clamor for pipeline connections….they are demanding a NATO/US presence there to keep those “pay-offs” for Local Tribal Drug Lords to stay open and available. This is all big money and the cost in body bags and blood is just plain “part of doing business”! It’s a hard world and we just need to keep cheap oil available for those emerging new markets of China and someday India! Hey, when you have a prospective market of soon 3 Billion people…you could be talking “real money” even if you are only selling that oil for 50 cents a gallon and making a profit of half of that.
The US is sending about 20,000 new troops to Afghanistan in the coming few months. Why? More targets, more blood, ours! In the words of General George S. Patton: “Our job is not to die…..our job is to make sure that the other unlucky bastard dies!” Propping up Karzai….his ilk and continuing the “business as usual” process in Afghanistan is crazy! Let us get out now and let Pakistan take care of everything. We can send money….isn’t that all they want anyway? Why? Because the ISI is already are running the show. These duplicitous nasty dudes are supplying guns and funds to their transiting Taliban/Al-Qaeda….or whoever they are. Some live in Pakistan…some live in Afghanistan and all are laughing all the way to the bank. Since we are providing funds to both sides……we continue the Vietnam process of supporting both sides and killing our own guys.
Time to let someone else knit our Afghans! Maybe, Wal-mart will start carrying those things in time for Christmas. Time to remove ourselves from those pipeline wars and let all the Poppy people perish……..when we unload our old “Agent Orange” supply, currently being stored in some mountain in Colorado! It is time to let someone else be the “bad guys”! America has done it long enough…thank you! Our “Predator Drones” or “Global Hawks” need to be working day and night dropping Agent Orange on those Poppy fields. Then let the tribal leaders cry the blues for a few years. What is great is….we don’t even have to drop nukes! Modern technology…..ain’t it wonderful? Let those “misidentified enemies” use those IED’s for their own……not our guys!
Those nasty ISI peeps had their headquarters almost blown into pieces a month back. So are they paying these taliban to come and destroy their HQ and kill their country men of whom 300 died only in last 3 weeks?
*Have you ever wondered why the military calls areas a “Theatre”?
Please, who is not willing to give up 300 “Cannon Fodder” or rather
“Collateral Damage” for 150 Billion Dollars in US Foreign Aid?
Catch on to the entire story…and don’t get caught up in the “Halley’s Comet” twists and turns!
How about our guys that died last week by IED and by
being overrun by massive attacks on
tiny outposts?
The story is: “Get out now…and see what happens!” Hey, we can always go back in….who cares when or where? Let’s find out where the bear is and how much he dropped in the field
150 Billion? Where did you get that number from? Paks are getting 7.5 billion in aid over the next 5 years. Sept 11 attacks were organized in Afghanistan and that’s why US should be there because if US leaves then who will stop Al-Quaeda from planning another attack.
How much did they get to attack Mumbai? Hillary wants the Paks…
to deliver 30,000 troops to the field. How much do you think the Paks will pull out of their wallets?
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=109969§ionid=3510203
Look at the current out of pocket for operations in the Afghan Theatre….
What’s it cost for
operations in Iraq a year again? How many billion? They are just going to transfer that cost.
Your argument that 911 came from Afghanistan reminds us that Bret Favre is not from Minnesota…but Mississippi. According to that logic “The South will rise again!”
Where is the “Clear and Present Danger”? Look at Global Boardrooms…around the world…..not in some cave in….say Pakistan….is where Osama is on vacation…right?
“Sept 11 attacks were organized in Afghanistan and that’s why US should be there because if US leaves then who will stop Al-Quaeda from planning another attack.”
Not sure if you are aware of this, but a 9/11-style attack can be planned from anywhere, and everywhere, in the world. Wrap your brain around THAT one for a moment. We can prevent al Qaeda from re-establishing a meaningful presence in Afghanistan with FAR fewer troops than we have there now, along with far BETTER intelligence. There’s nothing stopping us from using this approach in a targeted way that, at the same time, fosters the notion for the vast majority of peace-loving Afghans that we no longer occupy their country. Occupation = resistance and greater numbers of extremists.
Afganistan is partly a mess now because we went way off the reservation and invaded a country Iraq that had neither attacked us or harbored terrorists.
The Talaban which were running Afganistan, worked with the terrorists and continue to. They are protecting them in both Afganistan and Pakistan.
The previous Bush administration really messed this up. Lets send the troops needed to do the job, with a clear plan to get it done and get out when finished.
Many of Those who attacked us are still free and they should not be, thanks Bush, I hope Obama his the courage to stay the course and get the job done.
*Benson,
You talk good …you just don’t listen well.
Who are the Taliban? They are the same Civil Servants that work for Karzai during the day. The sad part is….they go home to their families at night and put on their white robes and put burning crosses on the neighbors front lawn that do not harbor the IED Bureaucrate….
We do not have enough troops to stomp on all those prarie dogs …sorry! They just run across the border and wait. Which border…try any of the five to choose from!
Mr. Benson,
And how many troops would you say are required “to do the job, with a clear plan to get it done and get out when finished”.
Oh, and define what “finished” looks like.
The American way, it worked in the USA.
Put the Afghan’s into reservations, carve up the country like the Indian lands were and set the white man free to ranch, mine or whatever.
*Cook…good one…
but those nasty Apache warriors wandered around all over the place. Look how the Seminoles took our best out. Oceola never signed a Peace Treaty! Chochise ran rampant over the country side for 30 years! Afghanistan is no
Black Hills! Well,
maybe at 20 thousand feet it is! “Our boys need to come home and let those local boys…do the job!” LBJ said that!