Comments on: Why Aren’t Democrats Asking: Who Lost Afghanistan? http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/ Firedoglake weblog Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:19:25 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: MarkH http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1153249 MarkH Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:13:04 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1153249 <blockquote><p>And why is the Taliban a threat to the USA?</p></blockquote> <p>As I understood it we were going after Al Qaeda and any government which stood in the way would be our enemy. So, the Taliban was an enemy. But, now, is Al Qaeda still in Afghanistan? If they’re not, then why bother with the Taliban?</p> <p>I’ve heard most of Al Qaeda types are in Pakistan. That makes me wonder why we don’t say to Pakistan’s government, “Get rid of Al Qaeda or stand aside and let us get rid of them or you will be our enemy and we’ll get rid of both you AND Al Qaeda.”</p> <p>Somehow I missed hearing that Bush speech.</p>

And why is the Taliban a threat to the USA?

As I understood it we were going after Al Qaeda and any government which stood in the way would be our enemy. So, the Taliban was an enemy. But, now, is Al Qaeda still in Afghanistan? If they’re not, then why bother with the Taliban?

I’ve heard most of Al Qaeda types are in Pakistan. That makes me wonder why we don’t say to Pakistan’s government, “Get rid of Al Qaeda or stand aside and let us get rid of them or you will be our enemy and we’ll get rid of both you AND Al Qaeda.”

Somehow I missed hearing that Bush speech.

]]> By: persiflage http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1153206 persiflage Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:30:47 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1153206 <p>George Bush, commanding the most powerful military in the history of the world, has been unable to defeat the Taliban in a time period almost twice as long as World War II.<br /> ————-</p> <p>Honey, you shrunk the War (1939 - 1945 = 6 years)</p> George Bush, commanding the most powerful military in the history of the world, has been unable to defeat the Taliban in a time period almost twice as long as World War II.
————-

Honey, you shrunk the War (1939 – 1945 = 6 years)

]]> By: james http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1152570 james Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:34:52 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1152570 <p>Afghanistan only serves two purposes for this criminal administration: protecting a possible pipeline for Caspian oil and ensuring that the production of opium poppies doesn’t stop. The money from the illicit heroin produced from the opium goes to shore up our increasingly fragile stock market along with generous infusions of cash from the fed.</p> <p>We are being busted out as a nation just like any other crime family takeover. Our assets are being stripped and hidden away by a bunch of criminals while the rest of us are left holding the worthless skeleton of a once proud enterprise.</p> Afghanistan only serves two purposes for this criminal administration: protecting a possible pipeline for Caspian oil and ensuring that the production of opium poppies doesn’t stop. The money from the illicit heroin produced from the opium goes to shore up our increasingly fragile stock market along with generous infusions of cash from the fed.

We are being busted out as a nation just like any other crime family takeover. Our assets are being stripped and hidden away by a bunch of criminals while the rest of us are left holding the worthless skeleton of a once proud enterprise.

]]> By: Beerfart Liberal http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1152138 Beerfart Liberal Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:45:14 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1152138 <p>I think there was a post on this. but did anybody see D’Souza’s tripe a few days ago, “The Unbelievable Tenacity of George W. Bush” ? Maybe the post was about some other D’Souza tripe. Hard to keep ‘em straight. He says - if things go as planned in Iraq (hahahhahahahaha. Iaq. as planned. that’s funny) the middle east will have its “first muslim democracy.” Didn’t Pakistan used to be Democratic for a while until Musharaff and his uniform took over? Isn’t Turkey Mulsim? Isn’t Turkey in the Middle East? Doesn’t Turkey have a democracy (albeit imperfect)? Sorta? I mean, Bush said so himself.</p> <p>D’Souza is such a schmuck.</p> I think there was a post on this. but did anybody see D’Souza’s tripe a few days ago, “The Unbelievable Tenacity of George W. Bush” ? Maybe the post was about some other D’Souza tripe. Hard to keep ‘em straight. He says – if things go as planned in Iraq (hahahhahahahaha. Iaq. as planned. that’s funny) the middle east will have its “first muslim democracy.” Didn’t Pakistan used to be Democratic for a while until Musharaff and his uniform took over? Isn’t Turkey Mulsim? Isn’t Turkey in the Middle East? Doesn’t Turkey have a democracy (albeit imperfect)? Sorta? I mean, Bush said so himself.

D’Souza is such a schmuck.

]]> By: Beerfart Liberal http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1152109 Beerfart Liberal Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:31:51 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1152109 <p><em>the top U.S. commander in the region has launched a review of the American mission there with a <strong>major focus on counterterrorism efforts</strong>, a senior U.S. military official said Sunday.</em></p> <p>Seven years into this and we’re going to focus on counterterrorism? Um. Duh.</p> <p>This is such an atrocity. we actually did/do have a coalition working with us - people who didn’t go to Iraq with us - and we’re pissing it away. Blue Texan is absolutely right and this is a great post. The Dems gotta stop mentioning this in passing-when they mention it at all. It is a <em>major</em> issue. I noticed Boxer mentioned Usama bin Laden about 20 times in the first 3 minutes of her speech, so hopefully they’ll go this direction. Maybe this will deleted by the mods ….. better not say it.</p> the top U.S. commander in the region has launched a review of the American mission there with a major focus on counterterrorism efforts, a senior U.S. military official said Sunday.

Seven years into this and we’re going to focus on counterterrorism? Um. Duh.

This is such an atrocity. we actually did/do have a coalition working with us – people who didn’t go to Iraq with us – and we’re pissing it away. Blue Texan is absolutely right and this is a great post. The Dems gotta stop mentioning this in passing-when they mention it at all. It is a major issue. I noticed Boxer mentioned Usama bin Laden about 20 times in the first 3 minutes of her speech, so hopefully they’ll go this direction. Maybe this will deleted by the mods ….. better not say it.

]]> By: Dru http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151847 Dru Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:01:25 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151847 <p>That still breaks my heart, but not as much as the ongoing suffering of the people; especially the little kids freezing while I banter with you.</p> That still breaks my heart, but not as much as the ongoing suffering of the people; especially the little kids freezing while I banter with you.

]]> By: Raven http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151841 Raven Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:58:47 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151841 <p>Plus, they blew up the Buddha’s!</p> Plus, they blew up the Buddha’s!

]]> By: Raven http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151825 Raven Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:50:21 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151825 <p>Very nicely stated. We coulda been a contender.</p> Very nicely stated. We coulda been a contender.

]]> By: Dru http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151817 Dru Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:48:49 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151817 <p><a href="http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070101faessay86105/barnett-r-rubin/saving-afghanistan.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.foreignaffairs.org/.....istan.html</a><br /> Is a place to start.<br /> The Taliban is rooted in Pakistan and if you care about stability in the region or Pak vs India (nuclearly for instance), US vs Russia, then you might care about Afghanistan and the Taliban.</p> http://www.foreignaffairs.org/…..istan.html
Is a place to start.
The Taliban is rooted in Pakistan and if you care about stability in the region or Pak vs India (nuclearly for instance), US vs Russia, then you might care about Afghanistan and the Taliban.

]]> By: GregB http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151812 GregB Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:47:07 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/17/why-arent-democrats-asking-who-lost-afghanistan/#comment-1151812 <p>Raven,</p> <p>Let me check my heavy handed American exceptionalism. The US should have invested in Afghanistan in such a manner that change would be a result of heavily improved infrastructure, healthcare, education and international trade and cultural exchange.</p> <p>Point taken.</p> <p>-G</p> Raven,

Let me check my heavy handed American exceptionalism. The US should have invested in Afghanistan in such a manner that change would be a result of heavily improved infrastructure, healthcare, education and international trade and cultural exchange.

Point taken.

-G

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