4000 extra troops fight war without end

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2008
4000 extra troops fight war without end
37
Fri, 03-27-2009 - 8:21pm

No exit strategy, a war we are losing, a war we can't win. Is this Iraq? No, President Bush won that war.

This is Afghanistan, and President Obama is determined to send troops in to fight this good war. You know, the war we can't win, the war with no exit strategy, the war Americans will die in, the war which will not install Democracy, and which will not stop drug trafficking. The good war!

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2009/03/abc-news-luis-m.html

Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan

ABC News' Luis Martinez reports: As part of the Obama administration's Afghan strategy review to be unveiled on Friday, an additional 4,000 troops will be ordered to Afghanistan to help train the Afghan army and police, defense officials tell ABC News.

While the troop announcement may be it for this year, it's possible that even more troops will be headed to Afghanistan in 2010.

Last week, a senior administration official told ABC News' Martha Raddatz that by the end of August the total U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan will stand at 64,000. This official added that it was unlikely any more troops would be sent to Afghanistan this year beyond the additional trainers to be announced Friday. There are currently 38,000 US troops in Afghanistan.

However, it's possible that the troop strength in Afghanistan could rise even higher next year, possibly to as many as 70,000 U.S. troops, as the Pentagon meets additional troop requests from military commanders in Afghanistan, another defense official said today.

That includes an additional combat brigade that top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, would like to employ in southern Afghanistan and possibly more trainers needed to train a planned doubling of the Afghan army's size. Both the combat troops and trainers would require additional support troops known as "enablers."

The 4,000 trainers are in addition to the 17,000 troops that President Obama announced in February he was sending to Afghanistan this spring and summer. They will come from a combat brigade the Pentagon had slated in the original request for extra troops made by McKiernan. However, they were not included in February's announcement for additional troops. At the time, the White House said any further troop deployments would depend on the results of the Afghanistan strategy review.

The deployment of the training brigade meets a long-standing request for 4,000 trainers to help the Afghan army and police, that Pentagon officials had hoped would be met by NATO countries.

However, the need for more trainers may grow next year with the planned doubling of the Afghan army's size, so it's possible that more trainers might be needed beyond those to be announced Friday.

If that's the case, there will be a need for more enabler troops to support those extra trainers.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-30-2002
Fri, 03-27-2009 - 8:43pm
They are finally sending the troops that military leaders were begging the Bush administration for at the end of his term.


iVillage Member
Registered: 01-04-2009
Fri, 03-27-2009 - 8:57pm

I'm not thrilled with this additional deployment, but I think that things are getting out of hand in Afghanistan and some of our NATO partners are removing their troops.

 

Avatar for claddagh49
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2004
Fri, 03-27-2009 - 9:27pm

You are right on the money once again!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-30-2002
Fri, 03-27-2009 - 10:15pm

I am by no means thrilled that the Afgani/Paki war is expanding, but I don't think leaving the



iVillage Member
Registered: 10-10-2008
Sat, 03-28-2009 - 12:39am
I disagree. Counter insurgency warfare takes patience. It is winnable. But,it will take another 10 years. Americans are not used to protracted warfare. This is exactly what the terrorist want to do! American military has a bad record in modern protracted warfare and the enemies of the US rely on this to encourage their forces.
With the PC element,we hamper ourselves. This is a dirty mean business. We cannot stop because right now the terrorist groups are trying for another Somalia. We must learn from the lessons of dealing with this type of enemy, Unfortunately, the public is not comprehending the massive work needed. We are in a country that is tribal and centralized. This is somewhat like the Western expansion in the US 1800's. The basic tactics have changed as we are to nation build and then let them take over. It takes a lot of training to be successful. The toys are ok but it is relentless pressure that works best. That means ground troops!! At this stage an exit stratagem in not warranted. Exit only after securing a nation not before!!!
Hornycomments.com for myspace adult comments
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Sat, 03-28-2009 - 2:43pm
As noted by others, maybe if we'd finished this job in the first place, the world would be a smidge safer place.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2008
Sat, 03-28-2009 - 7:42pm

For years liberals complained saying "We can't win in Iraq, Iraq is hopeless, Iraq will never have democracy, Iraq has no exit strategy".

All were wrong. After years of liberal harping, Iraq is won. Iraq is liberated. Iraq is free. Women in Iraq have vested civil rights and vested representation in their government.

Now liberals seem to think Afghanistan is the great war we should be in.

What is the Afghan exit strategy? Will we vest Afghan women with civil rights? Will Afghan women be guaranteed positions in government? How many Americans must die in Afghanistan? How many innocent Afghan civilians? How much should we spend fighting in Afghanistan?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-04-2009
Sat, 03-28-2009 - 11:45pm
Those are all good questions.

 

Avatar for rollmops2009
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2009
Sun, 03-29-2009 - 4:03am
Just FTR, the Afghans are not Arabs.
Avatar for rollmops2009
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2009
Sun, 03-29-2009 - 4:07am
Iraqi women had civil rights before we stuck our noses in there and besides, if you remember, feminism was not the reason we went to war in the first place. Apart from that, I am not the least bit convinced that Iraq is "won" in any lasting sense. Turkey is still itching for Kirkuk, and with Hillary in charge of State we are back to the 80s love affair with Turkey. Meanwhile Iran is heavily involved with the Shia.

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