Obama Should Boost Troops in Afghanistan
By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
President Obama, though he launched his campaign by opposing the Iraq War, should support what looks like a military recommendation to boost the troop presence in Afghanistan. From the New York Times:
The emerging debate follows the delivery Monday of a new strategic assessment by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, who took over all American and NATO forces in Afghanistan in June. Mr. Gates has now forwarded the general's report of about 25 pages to Mr. Obama.
His administration is divided, with foreign policy expert Vice President Joe Biden opposing a build-up in Afghanistan. Biden believes instead the United States should deploy scarce resources to help stabilize Pakistan.
Our invasion of Iraq was a huge mistake and it is feared no matter when U.S. troops pull out—a year from now or 20 years from now—that country could dissolve into tribal and civil war. I still don't have a clear understanding of why the Bush administration entered Iraq—the most likely reason seems either to be to try to control its rich oil reserves, or to boost the value of Halliburton's corporate stock.
We'll ponder that one for decades. But the attack on Afghanistan's Taliban after 9/11 was a well-reasoned and thoroughly justified decision. The mistake the Bush administration made in Afghanistan was to invade half-heartedly and never mount the type of full-scale effort needed to roust the Taliban from Afghanistan and, quite frankly, from neighboring Pakistan. The question now is whether we have the manpower (and womanpower) to complete the job, and with so much military muscle wasted in Iraq, the answer to that question may sadly be no.
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Tags: Afghanistan | military | War in Afghanistan (2001-)
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Reader Comments
Strategy for Military Troops in Afaghanistan
I think that we have to try and get population account per area in Afaghanistan Town before entering it with any military troops. This way we might figure out if Talaban is missing to plan attack ambush on troops. In addition, if going into large Afaghanistan mountain areas we need to have constant air support for military troops on the ground. U.S. also should also not attempt to move infantry into areas that have not been scouted for several weeks, in order to avoid mines or ambush attacks.
Kool-Aid has been Watered Down
What the liberal don't want to take responsibility for is that because of the saber rattling by your Acorn attorney last fall(in effect tipping off Al Qaeda)the task in Afghanistan will be more difficult-not impossible.Your fool has now set the stage for a multi lateral move against the West on all fronts.The liberal's hope is that by stalling the arrival of more troops, a slow bleed will become the hemorrhage a latter day Cronkite would exploit to turn American opinion negative.How stupid do they think we are?
Humorous to See Conservatives Turn Tail and Run ...
But these chickens have been running around with their heads cut off anyway.
The Bush Chickenhawks retreated from Afghanistan before the job was done, leaving to start an optional war in Irag and waste trillions there.
Now the gutless whiners (aka the rightwing nuts) are quitting the fight faster than Palin could quit Alaska.
Can you spell Spineless?
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