It's time for large # of troops to GTFO of Afghanistan.

[BigRedChief]

It's a no win situation for us. Brave Americans are fighting a war in which there is no hope of winning. In this type of war there will never be a "winner". All we are doing is providing easy targets for Taliban to kill.

We can't just ignore military history there and say our effort will be different.

We went into Afganistan with 1,300 troops. When the Taliban fell we had 2.500 troops on the ground. We now have 60,000 troops on the ground and the Taliban control 40-70% of the country's territory.

The new commander in Afghanistan says he sees no evidence of a large Al-Quaeda presense in Afghanistan. That is and will always be the only reason for us to be in Afghanistan. The only reason we are there in the first place. The only reason to sacrifice American lives.

I think we should hunt down and kill every single member of Al=Quaeda, no matter where they are hiding.

We shouldn't be sacrificing American lives to nation build in Afghanistan. Yeah, they want to go back to the 12th century but why should we sacrifice American lives to keep that from happening? Not worth it.

But if we leave the Taliban will take over swiftly and then provide a safe -haven for Al-Quaeda? We don't let that happen. We put cruise millsle up their azz. We send out the drones. We use special forces to take them out.

Edited:

I'm convinced that this is the right decision for these reasons.

• We can't nation build in Afghanistan. We shouldn't be using our resources and sacrificing our troops to help them. Thats not why we are there. $300 billion spent so far. 900 brave Americans dead. Entering it's 9th year. Just when will it be enough?
• The argument that the Taliban and Al-Quaeda will just come back may be true but there are several problems with that. Al-Quaeda can be anywhere in the world. So we keep them out of Afghanistan, they show up in Pakistan, Somalia, where ever. I read there is only 100 Al-Quaeda operatives in Afghanistan. There are probably more than that in the USA. If we keep them out of Afghanistan. they will just go some other place. We need a 21st century approach. We won't be able to defeat Al-Quaeda with conventional weapons and strategy. We can always go back in with surgical strikes to take out prime targets and more large scale attacks to prevent Al-Quaeda from establishing bases again. We can't let 100,000 Americans become easy to reach targets for Al-Quaeda.
• The government is corrupt beyond repair. For those who want to nation build, how can you with a totally corrupt government that the people don't trust? Nation building won't work no matter how many troops or how much money you throw at the problem with a corrupt government distrusted by the people.
• Afghanistan has no resources. What exactly are they going to make money at, build their country with? It would be a transfer of wealth from us to them.
• The population outside of Kabul is run by drug overlords. The majority of the population works in the poppy fields because its the only way they can feed their family. How are we going to change that? Provide jobs for those people to feed their families? A lot of those poppy field profits are going right to the Taliban. Just how are you going to end this cycle without a major infusion of American money. Again, a transfer of wealth.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

the neo-con's like to label Obama as some kind of wimpy liberal etc. etc. But, anyone that is paying attention has to realize he is killing people all over the world and doing it pretty ruthlessly without attracting the public's questions of what the **** is going on?

Killing people, especially when it's easy, isn't what defines the difference between a wimp and a courageous leader.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

If Karzai is as corrupt as you say both Obama and Bush ****ed up. I don't disagree with you, just stating it the way I see it.

And if you don't like nation building you sure can't approve of what we're doing in the rest of the ME.

We are no longer nation building in the ME. We just pay money to get what we want. Google what we are doing in Qatar and Bahrain.

Our "friends" our shooting us in the back and as we sleep. WTF should we tolerate that? The military wants no part of Afghanistan. Obama's plan is use drones, SO and a few bases to take out Al-Qaeda cells when they spring up and over the border in Pakistan. We can't fix Afghanistan.

[Mesa Goat Man]

We don't win wars because that does not make the Military Industrial Complex any money. Can fodder is what the American Soldier is for the MIC.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Mesa Goat Man

We don't win wars because that does not make the Military Industrial Complex any money. Can fodder is what the American Soldier is for the MIC.

You should stick to the government faked the moon landings discussions.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

We are no longer nation building in the ME. We just pay money to get what we want. Google what we are doing in Qatar and Bahrain.

Our "friends" our shooting us in the back and as we sleep. WTF should we tolerate that? The military wants no part of Afghanistan. Obama's plan is use drones, SO and a few bases to take out Al-Qaeda cells when they spring up and over the border in Pakistan. We can't fix Afghanistan.

So what happens if we keep bases and the country falls apart?

Realize I'm agreeing with you that it is time to come home. I'm trying to figure out at what level we should back up the government.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

So what happens if we keep bases and the country falls apart?

Realize I'm agreeing with you that it is time to come home. I'm trying to figure out at what level we should back up the government.

It's limited. We defend our bases. We have several aircraft carriers in the area and the 3rd largest naval base in the world right across the bay. Shit goes south, they can respond.