Obama approves troop increase in Afghanistan (17K)

[Crazy Horse]

He also said the US Military needs to go into PAKISTAN to find Bin Laden.
This is probably the invasion force.

Well we already have Pedators flying from bases in pakistan.............DiFi said so

[Wretched Excess]

his position for a "surge" in afghanistan was a cynical campaign tactic.  he couldn't be against the iraq war and the afghanistan war (and yes, I realize that they are actually battlefields of the same larger GWOT), so he oppounistically came out in favor of a surge in afghanistan so he didn't look like a pacifist, and now he's stuck with it.

I don't think a surge will work in afghanistan.  it strikes me that was the lesson that the soviets learned in the 80s.  not that the US millitary wouldn't do it differently, but given the terrain, the culture, and the abject lack of any central authority in the history of that forsaken country, I don't see how a surge could work.  not to mention that fact that it's a pile of rocks.




 

[Chris_]

his position for a "surge" in afghanistan was a cynical campaign tactic.  he couldn't be against the iraq war and the afghanistan war (and yes, I realize that they are actually battlefields of the same larger GWOT), so he oppounistically came out in favor of a surge in afghanistan so he didn't look like a pacifist, and now he's stuck with it.

I don't think a surge will work in afghanistan.  it strikes me that was the lesson that the soviets learned in the 80s.  not that the US millitary wouldn't do it differently, but given the terrain, the culture, and the abject lack of any central authority in the history of that forsaken country, I don't see how a surge could work.  not to mention that fact that it's a pile of rocks THEIR pile of rocks.




 

What are the odds that a surge of 17,000 battlefield engineering troops engaged in building a wall around the perimeter of that Godforsaken rock pile might be more effective than 17,000 more combat troops in-country might?

[Eupher]

Not a word.  Where is Cindy Sheehan?  Has she reacted to this breaking story yet?

Damn. Just damn. You could've gone all WEEK and not said that skank's name. 

[Crazy Horse]

his position for a "surge" in afghanistan was a cynical campaign tactic.  he couldn't be against the iraq war and the afghanistan war (and yes, I realize that they are actually battlefields of the same larger GWOT), so he oppounistically came out in favor of a surge in afghanistan so he didn't look like a pacifist, and now he's stuck with it.

I don't think a surge will work in afghanistan.  it strikes me that was the lesson that the soviets learned in the 80s.  not that the US millitary wouldn't do it differently, but given the terrain, the culture, and the abject lack of any central authority in the history of that forsaken country, I don't see how a surge could work.  not to mention that fact that it's a pile of rocks.

The difference is in the soilder...............when the Soviets had the Spetsnaz in Afghanistan they where kicking ass...............when te Army rolled in they were mostly conscripts.....................ie failure times 10.

The US has all volunteers and a much more superior game plan..............I just hope the messiah doesn't **** that up

[rich_t]

The difference is in the soilder...............when the Soviets had the Spetsnaz in Afghanistan they where kicking ass...............when te Army rolled in they were mostly conscripts.....................ie failure times 10.

The US has all volunteers and a much more superior game plan..............I just hope the messiah doesn't **** that up

One other point is that showing initiative was highly discouraged in the Soviet Army.  It is highly encouraged in the US military.

That makes a world of difference.

[Wretched Excess]

What are the odds that a surge of 17,000 battlefield engineering troops engaged in building a wall around the perimeter of that Godforsaken rock pile might be more effective than 17,000 more combat troops in-country might?

I think the place is lawless and ungovernable.  and I think there is a possibility that the best we can hope for is to keep them disorganized and and on the run for several years to come.

and that is probably good enough.  you can't very well plot another 9/11 when you are dodging predator strikes.
 

[Chris_]

I think the place is lawless and ungovernable.  and I think there is a possibility that the best we can hope for is to keep them disorganized and and on the run for several years to come.

and that is probably good enough.  you can't very well plot another 9/11 when you are dodging predator strikes.
 

They could turn a couple of those piles of rocks into glow-in-the-dark glass too, but Uncle Zero would pee himself before giving that order.

[Chris_]

How interesting...my Liberal Rag paper had this widdle story
on page A7. Two tiny paragraphs. I'm shocked they didn't put
it in the Help Wanted Section. 

[franksolich]

How interesting...my Liberal Rag paper had this widdle story
on page A7. Two tiny paragraphs. I'm shocked they didn't put it in the Help Wanted Section. 

Speaking of.....just out of curiosity, how many daily newspapers does St. Louis have any more?

I'm really concerned about this--I fully expect Time magazine to go under this year.  And even the Omaha World-Herald, once the pearl of the Great Plains (but not lately), has been hurting really badly.

And Seattle soon to be with no dailies at all.

It's all their own fault, but one dislikes seeing it happen.

[Chris_]

Speaking of.....just out of curiosity, how many daily newspapers does St. Louis have any more?

I'm really concerned about this--I fully expect Time magazine to go under this year.  And even the Omaha World-Herald, once the pearl of the Great Plains (but not lately), has been hurting really badly.

And Seattle soon to be with no dailies at all.

It's all their own fault, but one dislikes seeing it happen.

The tv news interviewed the "leadership" of our local newsrag a few days ago.  He blamed a serious drop in advertising on the economy even though their advertising sales have been dropping for about 5-6 years.  He blamed a drop in subscriptions on the innerwebz.  Of course the fact that it's a liberl rag couldn't be a problem.