The essence of success is counterinsurgency, which requires boots on the ground, and plenty of them — 20 to 25 counterinsurgents for every 1,000 people, or some 600,000 for all of Afghanistan, a country larger and more populous than Iraq. The additional 30,000 American forces on tap for deployment to Afghanistan over the next year are sorely needed, but obviously insufficient to protect all 30 million people in the country.
However, insurgencies are not defeated by foreign forces. They are defeated by the security services of the afflicted nation. Thus the long-term answer to the Taliban’s insurgency has to be a much expanded Afghan National Army. Currently 70,000 and projected to grow to 135,000, the Afghan army is the most respected institution in that troubled country. It may need to reach 250,000, and be supported by a similarly sized police force, to provide the security that will cause the Taliban to wither.
Never forget that at the very beginning of this war the US Army had Mullah Omar — the head honcho of the Taliban — in their sights and could have killed him. Instead General Tommy Franks had to talk to the lawyers about the legality of shooting him probably to figure out his own liability. Instead Omar fled, on a bicycle. Franks was later given a medal and praised for all his good work.
As he chased Mullah Omar with his Predator, General Franks considered several times whether or not it was a propitious moment to shoot. Before he made a final decision, he would turn to the lawyer at his side – who happened to be a woman, in this case – and he would ask, “Any issues, ma’am?”
As Mullah Omar’s jeep raced along the road, General Franks withheld fire. Finally, the convoy stopped in front of a mosque, and Mullah Omar and his entourage went inside to pray. For the first time, the group was stationary and gathered in one place. General Franks turned to his lawyer: “Any issues, ma’am?”
“Yes, sir,” she answered. “There are issues.
Why do we even bother fighting these wars in the first place?
We are in Afghanistan because they attacked the US. While true it was a private army that did it, the Taliban provided arms, camps, and support.
We could have destroyed the Taliban and Al Quada. Only our forces let them escape. During the campaign Obama stated quite firmly that he wouldn’t hesitate to attack the Taliban and Al Quada if they hid in Pakistan. Nothing is changing Obama’s mind and he will go after them.
Why do the right wing nuts and Republicans hate America?
#8 Improbus: “Just nuke the area from orbit” etc.
Nukes are cheap and effective. Apparently every couple of generations you have use one or two just to remind the new kids of just how effective.
Fusion, I think it’s been posted on here about FEMA internment camps. Then it was described as part of Bush’s fascism or something like that.
#43, Lyin’ Mike,
Your last mistake was when you said you “think”. For the good of humanity, STOP THINKING. I realize you have no shame so you constantly err.
Soundwash claims a House Bill will allow FEMA to build INTERNMENT CAMPS. I read the Bill. Now I’m asking him to back up the bullshit. If you can back it up I think he might appreciate it. Please provide a link where FEMA is to build INTERNMENT CAMPS.
Uggh. I don’t know why I try because Fusion is such a moron.
Obviously doesn’t know how to answer his own questions even when it’s so easy.
Example.
“Please provide a quote where Obama said he wanted a civilian SECURITY force as WELL ARMED AND FUNDED AS THE MILITARY.”
Ok. http://tinyurl.com/4vycav
Idiot.
“So, please post where FEMA is building INTERNMENT CAMPS.”
Again, Idiot. http://tinyurl.com/6bhdfc
You could have googled this yourself if you had half a brain.
But instead, you froth at the mouth and embarrass yourself in front of the whole world. It’s sad but has good entertainment value.
(Yes, yes, I know trying to teach Fusion logic and reasoning is like trying to teach Physics to a rabid dog, but hopefully someone else will learn something.)
Here is another good article about internment camps.
http://tinyurl.com/alxsjm
Econ 101 – guns/butter
#45, Ah Yea,
Example.
“Please provide a quote where Obama said he wanted a civilian SECURITY force as WELL ARMED AND FUNDED AS THE MILITARY.”
Ok. http://tinyurl.com/4vycav
Idiot.
OK, so where in that 20 second video does Obama call for a WELL ARMED AND FUNDED AS THE MILITARY force. Guess what. It doesn’t. But for some reason people are supposed to think it does?
“So, please post where FEMA is building INTERNMENT CAMPS.”
Again, Idiot. http://tinyurl.com/6bhdfc
ha ha ha ha, so this is what is in the house bill soundwash posted? I understand the shock of losing the election has had on the far right wing nuts, but c’mon. I gave you more credit than that.
BTW, one of the sites mentioned in that link is a few miles from me. It was a munitions facility during WWII and now is mostly closed by the EPA for the pollution.
I’ll ask again, where in soundwash’s link does it say INTERNMENT CAMP. Maybe if you idiots could read your own posts you might learn something.
You asswipes would scream that water isn’t wet just to argue some comment Obama made.
#46, Ah Yea,
Wow, talk about losing credibility. If you read this article you are either pretty stupid or extremely gullible.
So the next eight years will be all about laughing at the right wing nuts conspiracies.
What’s the deal with this Obama Pakistan missile strike>?I must have been asleep, someone care to explain?
Yeah I have to say, speaking objectively, that FEMA Internment camp video seemed a little tin-foil-hat to me. A lot of “This could be used for…” and “consider how many…” instead of definitives. The video footage showed nothing incriminating, as there are far more “innocent” explanations for why the Federal government, especially the armed forces, would need large warehouse space.
Like, say, to keep stuff sstored in them. What a novel concept.
#51, Alex,
Rarely do I ever watch a video as proof of any idea. Videos are too easily manipulated to be factual. Of course, the gullible and stupid like them because someone else has done the thinking for them.
One of the sites mentioned is a few miles from where I live. I have been there four or five times. There are currently a few small businesses being run on shoestrings but most of the area is brown field fenced off with EPA warnings. During WWII munitions were made there and the resultant pollution was never cleaned up, I understand that there are quite a few barrels of chemicals buried. The few buildings are mere skeletons. The rail road they mentioned is abandoned and removed and the trunk line nearby is still several miles away.
BUT, that is close enough to having guard towers in place along with fully functioning barracks.
# 52 Mr. Fusion said, “BUT, that is close enough to having guard towers in place along with fully functioning barracks.”
Don’t worry. The billions & billions worth of pork for Gov’t buildings contained in the “stimulus bill” will flesh it out.
#50 jimbo
http://tinyurl.com/atkesj
Talks about the Obomba airstrikes that killed women and children.
#53, Cow-Paddy,
I’m sure they already have a reservation for you at Club Gitmo for your extended vacation.
If Obama shows he has the ball to actually use a nuke to kill somebody who needs it, I’ll support him afterward. We’ll see.
“Why do we even bother fighting these wars in the first place?”
Gee not one word about a terrorist organization based in and backed by Afghanistan bringing down numerous New York skyscrapers with hijacked passenger jets causing thousands to die. What is wrong with you people!?!?
RBG
# 27 chuck said, in part:
I don’t [think] Mullah Omar or Osama bin Laden are concerned about the legal consequences of their actions.
I think they should be. Calling them terrorists elevates them unduly. When a westerner calls someone a terrorist, a lot of the world thinks “freedom fighter.” We should just call them what they are: cowards and murderers. They were afraid to face their victims, using stooges in airliners as weapons. Sending stooges to hijack airliners or blow themselves up in busy marketplaces is the work of snarky rat-fink backstabbers, and we should sic the police of the world on them, not armies. Bush/Cheney only declared War On Terror so they could claim dictatorial power.
Now if a local government shelters criminals like these, and even encourages more of them, and diplomacy fails, then that’s a job for the armed forces.
Meantime we’re giving these schmucks too much respect calling them terrorists.
#58, Uncle Pat,
The main problem with your post is you are entirely correct. And that doesn’t fit into the right wing nut, neo-con planning.
The American people trust that Barack Obama will conscientiously address the war issues.
Long Live President Barack Obama!
Barack Obama is a racial-minority individual and does not like racism:
There is bad news about Bill Clinton.
It is opined that Bill Clinton committed terrifying, racist, hate crimes during his presidency, and I am not free to say anything further about it.
Respectfully Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang, J.D. Candidate
B.S., With the Highest Level of Academic Honors at Graduation, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
(I can type 90 words per minute, and there are thousands of copies on the Internet indicating the content of this post. And there are thousands of copies in very many countries around the world.)
_________________
‘If only there could be a ban against invention that bottled up memory like scent & it never faded & it never got stale.’ It came from my Lower Merion High School yearbook.