Afghanistan

[Tahoe]

Whats BO gonna do? More troops?

Tough call for him.

[Hermy]

Run.

[Big Swami]

I don't know. Garry Trudeau's been making noises lately that Afghanistan sounds just like Vietnam to him. Mobile insurgency, corrupt federal government, disinterested population, drug economy. Can't say I disagree. The only thing different is that the Afghan insurgency is all about Wahhabism, and South Vietnam's insurgency was all about Maoism. Both movements full of fanatics, but I think Afghanistan is worse because at least the Viet Cong were fighting to create a modern civil government. The Taliban are fighting to prevent the creation of a modern civil government.

The "American" way of thinking is that all you have to do is spend the right amount of money or threaten the right person, and shit gets done. I don't think that applies in Afghanistan. I think it's totally fucked. I think Afghanistan is a loss no matter how long we stay and how many troops are sent.

To my knowledge, there is no central government in Afghanistan that has ever been accorded any respect by Afghans. Only a well-armed and oppressive one has any chance of survival.

I would propose a "Berlin" solution to Afghanistan. Leave the country intact, but divide it into several zones, each of which is administered by a different regional power. One region would be administered by the US and Britain. One would be administered by Iran. One would be administered by Russia.

[geerussell]

Virtually every vestige of AQ in afghanistan has been captured, killed or chased into pakistan. The taliban government that harbored them is history. So what's left for us there?

At this point the country has been reset to the status quo of basic shithole, not very different from other shitholes around the world--problems that are on some level tragic but not situations that compel an open ended military occupation by the united states.

[Tahoe]

So, if reports are true, the WH asked the Gen to hold off on his request for more troops. Regardless, this seems to be a turning point in the war in Afghanistan. Cuz if he doesn't listen to his Generals, he might as well bring the troops home.

[Big Swami]

So, if reports are true, the WH asked the Gen to hold off on his request for more troops. Regardless, this seems to be a turning point in the war in Afghanistan. Cuz if he doesn't listen to his Generals, he might as well bring the troops home.

I remember people saying the same thing about Pres. Bush when Gen. Shinseki told him that there nowhere near enough troops in Iraq. I also seem to remember Shinseki getting put on the shelf for that.

[Tahoe]

^ Gotta bring Bush in. Soooooo yesterday and typical.

[Hermy]

^ Gotta bring Bush in. Soooooo yesterday and typical.

What did you mean by "turning point" if not mentioning the past?

[Tahoe]

Stay on topic.

[Hermy]

If someone could please delete post #5 for not staying on topic, Tahoe would appreciate.