Afghan war enters 12th year
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Nobody wants a repeat of the bloody ethnic fighting that followed the Soviet exit from Afghanistan in the 1990s - least of all 32-year-old Wahidullah who was crippled by a bullet that pierced his spine during the civil war.
Full Story Here:
Afghan war enters 12th year
After the attacks of September 11, 2001 it was determined that Osama bin Laden was the responsible party and that he was operating out of Afghanistan, hence our foray into this land of antiquity as we sought revenge for the losses we suffered.
The might of the American military was doing its job, the Taliban was on the run and we were close to finding and killing/capturing Osama bin Laden.
Then, in one of the most ridiculous moves he could have possibly made, George W. Bush turned our attention to Iraq and Saddam Hussein.
It seems that Bush believed Hussein to be in possession of weapons of mass destruction that could threaten the USA, and there was the belief by Bush that Hussein was a part of the attacks of 9-11.
Bush could not have been more wrong.
So, to all those that STILL believe the Bush story, Iraq had some *yellow cake* uranium, a raw form of uranium, and they had no way of processing that *yellow cake* into a usable or dangerous form. Iraq also had some 155mm Howitzer shells that were loaded with Sarin. That Sarin was so old that it was nearly depleted, so depleted in fact that it could be poured directly on the skin with no ill effects.
All of this was proven during Congressional hearings conducted by a Conservative House and Senate, you know, back when we actually HAD a Conservative House and Senate.
So, today we are OUT of Iraq, several thousand American lives and BILLIONS of tax dollars later, but we are out.
As we go into our 12th year in Afghanistan I have to ask; doesn’t anyone remember that it was a war in Afghanistan that brought the Soviet Union down and broke what served as their financial system?
The USA gave covert support to the Mujahideen, enabling them to take the battle to the Soviets, killing many of their numbers and destroying massive amounts of Soviet battle equipment.
Once the Soviet Union pulled out of Afghanistan civil war did ensue, it was inevitable, and that civil war devastated Afghanistan, until the Mujahideen became the Taliban and Osama bin Laden emerged as its leader and brought about some degree of *peace* between the warring Afghan factions.
Once there was a *peace* of sorts in Afghanistan, WE became the target.
In reality, we were 100% correct in our initial actions in Afghanistan, but we should have stayed focused, done the job we went there to do, get bin Laden and destroy the Taliban in short order and then moved on, leaving them with this message: mess with us again and you become a sheet of very poor quality glass.
Yet here we are, going into the 12th year in a place that bankrupted the Soviet Union and a place that is rapidly doing the same to the USA. I am of the opinion that Russia is sending covert support to the al-Qaeda fighters in an effort to return the favor.
One thing that the media never points out and that most people never mention is this; bin Laden was a Saudi. The hijackers in the September 11 attacks were 19 men affiliated with al-Qaeda, what the Taliban had become, and 15 of the 19 were citizens of Saudi Arabia.
Isn’t Saudi Arabia still one of our *trusted allies*?
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Arabs and Muslims are not our friends, Afghanistan is a black hole where American lives and U.S. tax dollars disappear and in MY opinion, the Saudis are STILL financing terror operations against the USA.
When WE leave Afghanistan a civil war will commence once again, no matter what we do or don’t do. Get us OUT of Afghanistan, save American lives and fortune.
Getting our troops out of Afghanistan is an idea whose time is long overdue. Since our military, in general, is now run on a PC format killing the enemy and crushing him into dust is considered old fashioned. All of that being said, it should be noted that no invader no matter his flag, since the time of recorded history has ever conquered that chunk of moon scape. Many tried and mostly died, then left with their tails between their legs and dragging their swords in the dirt, so to speak.
We probably could have prevailed had we stayed the course and actually fought to win not hearts and minds but the war. In either case when we do leave, the moon critters will go back to raising poppies and killing each other over various interpretations of the Qur’an. Good riddance I say.
This is one of the great mysteries to me. It is so obvious that we should not be in Afghanistan but we are. And you’re right about Iraq. I don’t think it was about WMDs, however.
I think a decision was made to get rid of Saddam Hussein as a major troublemaker and pain in the ass. He had made war against Iran (with our assistance) and then tried to annex Kuwait by force. It was obvious the Saudis would be next and I suspect they told Bush to get rid of him. And he did. (He was also a vile despot)
I am inclined to believe that Romney will look and the profit and loss sheet on Afghanistan and pull our troops out of them as swiftly as possible without it looking like a total retreat. Which it is and should be. No nation has ever come out of there unbloodied.
A. Caruba
I agree that the reason was it was to get rid of someone that needed to go. I don’t have a problem with it, I am glad SADDAM IS DEAD. Afghanistan is another story. Since Obama took over he has made prosecuting the Afganistan war extreme difficult because Obama has implemented such stupid rules of engagements, basically you damn near have to be shot before you engage anyone. Remove the restrictions and let the soldiers to their job.
I believe it is time to bring the troops home - get em out of Afghanistan - the rules of engagement are a joke, the PC folks in Washington have once again caused meaning for lives lost to become a forgotten thing, just like they have done in every war since WW2.
When will we- the American people ever learn? Either we fight to win or we don’t get into the fight at all!
Saddam Hussein was a loud-mouthed dictator that was notorious for killing his own people… Saddam Hussein was NO threat to the USA, had no WMDs and was running a *bluff* in hopes of maintaining some sort of faux power in the world, and in that attempt he made a fatal error; he threatened the life of GHW BUSH…
That is why we went to Iraq… It had nothing to do with WMDs or 9-11, that was nothing more than an excuse on the part of GW BUSH… We went to Iraq because Saddam threatened BUSH SR.
Leave now. Bring our war fighters home now. Close our embassies.
If this God forsaken country becomes a threat to us again,,,,well, nuke’em!!!
Yep. And don’t pay them any money like we are doing with Pakistan.
BTW: Lovely banner Fred.
Thanks on the banner, I have had it a while and just wanted a change!
It is time for the world to get a grip and not count on us. We are in 150 countries. We need to come home from all of the them.
“We” aren’t prepared to do what it takes to solve the Islam problem. Similarly, neither are we willing to face the truth of it’s inherent evil. We’re soft. They know it. And… we’re screwed. And..they know it.
Oh well.
You either turn the place to rubble, then bounce the rubble, or get the hell out.
I ain’t seein’ no rubble-bouncin’.
BZ
Exactly. And the cherry on top? Our enemies flat-out tell us they want to destroy us and our response, “Okay, we’ll listen to your complaints and by the way we don’t ever want to offend your tender sensibilities”.
Yeah, we’re gonna win for sure. /sarcasm
Also like the new banner, but it’s the quintessential “glass half empty or half full” kind of thing — it’s either a new sunrise or a sunset on our country. . .
BZ
Brings a new element to the blog, don’t you think??
Only been reading here since your site was shown on another site I frequent when you were linking to movie 2016. I probably won’t comment much as your posters pretty much sum up my thoughts.
But seeing post about new banner, don’t remember old one. But Evinrude brings back lots of memories of 50′s and 60′s. Starting with Gale Products, Buccaneer, Sea Bee, Evinrude, and Johnson. Many a fun experience on the water using those Made in the USA product back then.
Welcome, and comment as you see fit!
Thank you Sir for the invitation. I’m sure I’ll get a tingle up my brainstem. Where such stimulation should be in this time. Until then, like I said Bluto, BZ, and others I should mention, but to new so far to recall… and rest of your posters always cover (expose) it well. Enjoy reading all. Be here everyday. Thanks.
Welcome! We’re (or at least myself anyway) are a bit rough around the edges, but we’re damn good people. Gotta get me dose of TexasFred everyday, especially lately with all this election madness.
Rough around the edges? Here? On MY blog? Surely you f**king jest??
An NO, I won’t stop calling you Shirley… LMAO
No jest here. Seriously speaking. Understand.
Iraq was a total screw up as far as going to war. Saddam and company were bad players true, and needed to be removed from the Chessboard of life. That’s what we have Specops people for. Instead we went there draining resources that should have been devoted to Afghanistan, as noted by Fred. I myself am still in favor of the poor quality glass methodology but the bottom line is we need to withdraw.