[marcojuiceman]

[itchypickle]

This is not new....plans are to keep at least 30,000 down range until 2014 just under current orders...no huge drop off seen yet. Just because they've changed the names of camps to not see, as aggressive and CSTC office calls the Talsk Forces advisors to the NTM or NATO mission and not main elements does nothing.

[marcojuiceman]

Until 2024 No Exucses

[itchypickle]

I agree. At the end of the day they'll any other reason than the bottom line...keeping permanent bases in Afghanistan makes it easy to operate elsewhere in the region...we are already fighting a war by proxy in Pakistan and launching operation from the neighbor looks better to the world than setting up shop in actual Pak territory. Same for Yemen and N Africa.

[marcojuiceman]

I agree. At the end of the day they'll any other reason than the bottom line...keeping permanent bases in Afghanistan makes it easy to operate elsewhere in the region...we are already fighting a war by proxy in Pakistan and launching operation from the neighbor looks better to the world than setting up shop in actual Pak territory. Same for Yemen and N Africa.

But Afghans said they dont want us there anymore... And we also have to foot the bill.. But people are complaining about Jobs?? seriously

[itchypickle]

But Afghans said they dont want us there anymore... And we also have to foot the bill.. But people are complaining about Jobs?? seriously

There are factions who do want us there...just depends on what their goals are and what part of the country you are. I do think it's time to either change course or if not pull out all the way but unfortunately neither is planned. And you're right about the bills for troops and equipment but local seized funds are being used in tha majority for the new building projects so it's not all bad.

[Harry N. Lloyd]

You can't convince me that our presence there doesn't have to do with the very lucrative opium trade, tremendous black market cash flow. There's no other explanation why we would be fighting cave men in the most Godforsaken country on the planet.......there's no way to win a war there. How would you know if you did win?

[marcojuiceman]

.there's no way to win a war there. How would you know if you did win?

That I can agree on
No way to Win
Just keeps Troops in there to Die for nothing

[Emily_Haines]

Guy is a piece of shit liar and no different than GWB when it comes to foreign policy. Said he was going end the wars when he was campaigning in 2008 and did exact opposite. Started war in Lybia, put missile batteries all over eastern Europe, gave Israel with bunker buster bombs, more sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Syria. Guy is nothing more than a war monger that loves violence and killing.

[itchypickle]

You can't convince me that our presence there doesn't have to do with the very lucrative opium trade, tremendous black market cash flow. There's no other explanation why we would be fighting cave men in the most Godforsaken country on the planet.......there's no way to win a war there. How would you know if you did win?

You think we are scooping it up, processing it, and selling in the streets of Wazir Khan on Fridays over there?

Initial years the troops did overwatch and assisted the DEA on the crops but recently routes are made to purposely bypass them...no need to engage the guys who are running it...and yes Karzai's family has a hand in the crops but thats not a concern of day to day work there.

Now its more of a purgatory for troops...it's not that the guys on the ground are totally bored, have plenty to do still but just not direct action, they just aren't being tasked now because Washington is clueless of where to go next with the policy and its been eating them up. Like I said above, it's now a proxy war to deal with the up and comer cells in the region and Kabul still has a lot of things going on in preparation for a full handover from NATO.

If they would just consolidate the north and south areas as they have in the capital.....pull out of 80% of current camps open and focus on the small DA missions it would be the best option. 6-12k troops at most needed which will include mainly the support units. Unfortunately there is no absolute 'win' but more of keeping up with more wins than losses in the smaller battles going on. It's not as if there is one unified leader to sit down and surrender or one mass of troops to be stopped at one location.

[Harry N. Lloyd]

90% of the world's illegal opium trade, billions of dollars worth, originates in Afghanistan. No, jack ass (with the ), the opium is selling on the streets of every city in the world, including our own cities. The Afghans, as a matter of record, are also the biggest producers of hashish in the world. Is it a coincidence that production and distribution of both of these drugs has INCREASED since U.S operations have commenced there? You seem to have plenty of military game plans......but for what? Taliban?!! That's just a word. We're fighting tribesmen. Why wouldn't they fight back? They have a history of fighting back. We went there because we were told Bin Laden was there. According to my records, that D-bag is dead and rotting in hell. GTFO!

[itchypickle]

90% of the world's illegal opium trade, billions of dollars worth, originates in Afghanistan. No, jack ass (with the ), the opium is selling on the streets of every city in the world, including our own cities. The Afghans, as a matter of record, are also the biggest producers of hashish in the world. Is it a coincidence that production and distribution of both of these drugs has INCREASED since U.S operations have commenced there? You seem to have plenty of military game plans......but for what? Taliban?!! That's just a word. We're fighting tribesmen. Why wouldn't they fight back? They have a history of fighting back. We went there because we were told Bin Laden was there. According to my records, that D-bag is dead and rotting in hell. GTFO!

I'm aware the sales have increased...I'm just saying there is no conspiracy that the military is helping that occur.

And the fighting is against more than tribesmen....sure Osama was a main player but not by far the most sought in terms of planning and so forth. Still more than just AQ to deal with, the Taliban are just political backers of the dozen or so organizations in the region.

It would be nice if it was as easy as you view it, get one guy, problem solved. We are in agreement we need to do a major change but not as far as pulling everyone out and just closing the book on it.

[Shaudius]

You can't convince me that our presence there doesn't have to do with the very lucrative opium trade, tremendous black market cash flow. There's no other explanation why we would be fighting cave men in the most Godforsaken country on the planet.......there's no way to win a war there. How would you know if you did win?

I seem to recall some people there giving safe harbor for some people for something they were planning about 10 years ago, but for the life of me I can't remember what that could have been...

[Sam Odom]

[Shaudius]

Guy is a piece of shit liar and no different than GWB when it comes to foreign policy. Said he was going end the wars when he was campaigning in 2008 and did exact opposite. Started war in Lybia, put missile batteries all over eastern Europe, gave Israel with bunker buster bombs, more sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Syria. Guy is nothing more than a war monger that loves violence and killing.

So we're still in Iraq then? I also like how you characterize intervention in a civil war already in progress in Libya as starting a war. Did the US go to war with Bosnia in the 90s?

I'm not sure what you're talking about missile batteries all over eastern Europe. Are you referring to the proposed missile defense systems with Europe? Or are you talking about the recent deal with several Arab countries for same?

When you say gave Israel bunker buster bombs, do you actually mean Israel asked for them and there's no proof that the US has actually given them?

As for sanctions, do you really believe that sanctions(while considered by some an act of war) are war mongering? Would you instead prefer that the US put absolutely no pressure on obviously rogue states that are openly repressive to not only their own people but also threaten world peace? What am I talking about, of course you would, you're just that kind of nutcase.

[marcojuiceman]

Guy is a piece of shit liar and no different than GWB when it comes to foreign policy. Said he was going end the wars when he was campaigning in 2008 and did exact opposite. Started war in Lybia, put missile batteries all over eastern Europe, gave Israel with bunker buster bombs, more sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Syria. Guy is nothing more than a war monger that loves violence and killing.

That I agree on 100%