Comments on: Should We Send More Troops to Afghanistan? 8 Things To Consider http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/ Firedoglake weblog Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:44:18 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Mellifluous http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568970 Mellifluous Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:41:39 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568970 <p>Do you recall how much we really blew it?</p> <p>The Taliban offered us UBL for trial, if we would allow the trial in a third (non-capital-punishment?) third country.</p> <p>You know what happened next—Cheney opted for war. If your only tool is a military, all problems look like wars will “solve” them.</p> Do you recall how much we really blew it?

The Taliban offered us UBL for trial, if we would allow the trial in a third (non-capital-punishment?) third country.

You know what happened next—Cheney opted for war. If your only tool is a military, all problems look like wars will “solve” them.

]]> By: bigbrother http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568486 bigbrother Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:27:59 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568486 <p>I have seen in person the UN Refugee Aid program get taken by tribal chiefs truckloads. And Muslims want to do their own aid program linked to Hezbollah. They know Western aid comes at a price. The hook we want is a say in the political outcome.<br /> Pacification programs have failed almost everywhere. Disater Capitalism works for a few years.<br /> Muslims are even better recruiters than Mormons for cryin out loud.<br /> Every power has to dife others as an enemy and a threat for the never ending war. At some point we have to hold for peace. When?</p> I have seen in person the UN Refugee Aid program get taken by tribal chiefs truckloads. And Muslims want to do their own aid program linked to Hezbollah. They know Western aid comes at a price. The hook we want is a say in the political outcome.
Pacification programs have failed almost everywhere. Disater Capitalism works for a few years.
Muslims are even better recruiters than Mormons for cryin out loud.
Every power has to dife others as an enemy and a threat for the never ending war. At some point we have to hold for peace. When?

]]> By: bobschacht http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568391 bobschacht Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:37:47 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568391 <p>Well, yes, the War Nerd understands the situation– mostly. But I don’t like his last paragraph, which could have been written by Dougie Feith. </p> <p>And the War Nerd thinks the Brits know how to do it, and are the professionals whom we should emulate. Only, the Brits couldn’t hold onto either Iraq or Afghanistan, despite the strategic value of those places, not to mention India and Pakistan.</p> <p>No, colonial empires just don’t work over the long run. And that’s why Obama is going to have to be very careful about defining the mission in Afghanistan.</p> <p>Bob in HI</p> Well, yes, the War Nerd understands the situation– mostly. But I don’t like his last paragraph, which could have been written by Dougie Feith.

And the War Nerd thinks the Brits know how to do it, and are the professionals whom we should emulate. Only, the Brits couldn’t hold onto either Iraq or Afghanistan, despite the strategic value of those places, not to mention India and Pakistan.

No, colonial empires just don’t work over the long run. And that’s why Obama is going to have to be very careful about defining the mission in Afghanistan.

Bob in HI

]]> By: JPL9 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568347 JPL9 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:21:06 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568347 <p>The taliban are so repressive against females, that I’m not sure I can agree.</p> The taliban are so repressive against females, that I’m not sure I can agree.

]]> By: Elliott http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568338 Elliott Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:17:04 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568338 <p>Thanks Scarecrow.</p> Thanks Scarecrow.

]]> By: bobschacht http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568334 bobschacht Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:14:22 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568334 <p>“War Nerd sez Afghan fight is ethnic conflict where plurality Pashtuns (ie Taliban) want their share of political power. I’ll try to search out the reference.”</p> <p>This is exactly right, and that is why Obama must be careful in defining his Afghan mission, in order to avoid getting embroiled in local ethnic conflicts. This may be impossible to do. When we invaded Afghanistan after 9/11, we rode the backs of a revolution by the northern tribes against the Pashtun. But to avoid “taking sides,” we avoided pressures to appoint a government consisting wholly of Northern Strongmen. Karzai is himself Pashtun. We thought that would help diplomatically. But the whole place is an ethnic minefield, and that’s why defining the mission is of utmost importance. I’m not sure that it can be done “right.”</p> <p>Bob in HI</p> “War Nerd sez Afghan fight is ethnic conflict where plurality Pashtuns (ie Taliban) want their share of political power. I’ll try to search out the reference.”

This is exactly right, and that is why Obama must be careful in defining his Afghan mission, in order to avoid getting embroiled in local ethnic conflicts. This may be impossible to do. When we invaded Afghanistan after 9/11, we rode the backs of a revolution by the northern tribes against the Pashtun. But to avoid “taking sides,” we avoided pressures to appoint a government consisting wholly of Northern Strongmen. Karzai is himself Pashtun. We thought that would help diplomatically. But the whole place is an ethnic minefield, and that’s why defining the mission is of utmost importance. I’m not sure that it can be done “right.”

Bob in HI

]]> By: ThingsComeUndone http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568331 ThingsComeUndone Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:12:56 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568331 <p>Yeah!</p> Yeah!

]]> By: ThingsComeUndone http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568328 ThingsComeUndone Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:12:07 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568328 <p>Well thats what I was going for cause there is no way Bush/McCain would raise taxes to win a war, tax cuts not troops are the priority.<br /> If anything the idea that you can win a war quick and cheap everytime has been proven false and expensive.<br /> Little wars like Grenda, and Panama just convince neo cons to up the ante more and borrow from the House/China to cover their bets until they win.<br /> We should ask McCain would he raise taxes if he had to, too win the war?<br /> I’m thinking thats a question he does not want to be asked.<br /> I’m thinking that if the troops had gotten bullet proof vests and armored humvees sooner we might have won the war.<br /> But McCain’s Senate Armed Forces Committee was all taking Nap Time.</p> Well thats what I was going for cause there is no way Bush/McCain would raise taxes to win a war, tax cuts not troops are the priority.
If anything the idea that you can win a war quick and cheap everytime has been proven false and expensive.
Little wars like Grenda, and Panama just convince neo cons to up the ante more and borrow from the House/China to cover their bets until they win.
We should ask McCain would he raise taxes if he had to, too win the war?
I’m thinking thats a question he does not want to be asked.
I’m thinking that if the troops had gotten bullet proof vests and armored humvees sooner we might have won the war.
But McCain’s Senate Armed Forces Committee was all taking Nap Time.

]]> By: greenwarrior http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568325 greenwarrior Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:11:29 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568325 <blockquote><p>PW <a href="http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#Respond" rel="nofollow">upstairs</a>, snatching her own zed.</p></blockquote>

PW upstairs, snatching her own zed.

]]> By: Marion in Savannah http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568321 Marion in Savannah Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:08:28 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/04/should-we-send-more-troops-to-afghanistan-8-things-to-consider/#comment-1568321 <blockquote><p>“We should go to Georgia and get rid of all the rednecks.”</p></blockquote> <p>Can I help??? [Kidding — just kidding, mods!]</p>

“We should go to Georgia and get rid of all the rednecks.”

Can I help??? [Kidding — just kidding, mods!]

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