U.S. may remove all troops from Afghanistan after 2014
By Mike Mount
The Obama administration is considering the possibility of removing all U.S. troops in Afghanistan after the NATO combat mission officially finishes at the end of 2014, White House officials said Tuesday.
The comments by Ben Rhodes, the White House's deputy national security adviser, come as the Pentagon and White House mull over the number of troops that could be left in Afghanistan after 2014 to fight insurgents and train Afghan security forces.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai and President Obama are scheduled to meet on Friday in Washington.
Rhodes said the administration is considering a range of options, with one scenario having no U.S. troops there. The range, according to defense officials, had until recently been between 6,000 to 15,000 U.S. troops possibly remaining in the country, based on an assessment by the U.S. top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen.
"We have an objective of making sure there's no safe haven for al Qaeda within Afghanistan and making sure that the Afghan government has a security force that is sufficient, again, to assure the stability of the Afghan government and the denial of that safe haven," Rhodes said.
"That's what causes us to look for different potential troop numbers or not having potential troops in the country," he continued.
With Afghan president's visit, nations' post-2014 future takes shape
Rhodes said there were no expectations on any deal on post-2014 troop levels during the Karzai visit, and he said it could be months before any decision was made.
The White House remains committed to ensuring Afghanistan does not return to its status as a safe haven for Al Qaeda, Rhodes said
"The president does not view these negotiations as having a goal of keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan," he said. "And we're guided by the shared missions that we've agreed to with the Afghans, the training and equipping of their forces, and counterterrorism."
But the United States also is insistent on legal protection for any troops in Afghanistan after 2014.
If there is no agreement on that between the United States and Karzai between now and the end of 2014, then it could lead to a similar situation for the United States when it left Iraq.
U.S. likely to keep thousands of troops in Afghanistan after NATO forces leave
The refusal by the Iraq government to extend legal protections for U.S. troops after the end of the war in Iraq was a major reason the United States left the country with no residual military training force.
But Karzai has said he would like for U.S. troops to remain after the end of the NATO mission. He also has been highly critical of the troops over the years, following incidents in which U.S. forces have killed civilians.
U.S. defense officials are playing a wait-and-see game on what the Karzai visit will produce.
As one defense official told CNN on Monday about the Afghan president, "It's Karzai; who knows what he will want on any given day."
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
It's about time. That was a ratt's nest since we started. Some people in a cave planned an attack, and that justifies how many deaths now??? B.S! Come home, only time can heal now. Just now after 50 years, can veterans visit Vietnam to get rid of their demons. Time heals... not bombs.
Do what your little feeble brain wants to do Mr. President. You only have 4 years to finish destroying America. Then maybe your followers will finally see what a liar you are.
We all know that unless the CIA can somehow protect its poppy fields without the US army, we wont be leaving Afghanistan any time soon.
oh I agree our destruction is the goal – but its not a one admin task, after all... we are tough. poppies... to explode things or not to explode things...that is the question. will we ever be able to rid the planet of things that go boom? if not then replacing the poppies with pot is our only option, because as a species we ain't gonna make it, and partying is our only option – and poppies are not a party drug.
ya'll are so ignorant unlike vietnam afghanistan is where the taliban is its not like we are fighting a civial war we are here because of 9/11 this is a war on terror so i could care less if we pull out or stay but this war is not Vietnam and if you are smart you would not just say a word like that without showing respect to the men and women who put they lifes on the line cause the way ya'll saying it is disrespectful.
i owe no respect to no f$%^ing killers hired by no f$%^king thieves and liars.
Okay Michael Moore.
if this is a war on terror can a sell you a DC map?
We "may" pull out. And it "may" be after 2014. In other words, it's going to go on and on. Wasting lives and money for nothing. But the government is happy to charge all of us for it.
Well Duh. And you probably think we are completely out of Iraq.
WE SALUTE YOU, PAKISTAN......The Americans acknowledge the innumerable sacrifices made by Pakistanis in this ongoing war. The Americans appreciate the bullets taken on the chest by the Pakistanis in fighting the enemy. The Americans appreciate the ultimate sacrifices made by Pakistanis in sacrificing their lives while trying to make America and the world safe.
This has to be sarcasm.
bull$%^ting from tel aviv.
Thank you Pakistan for helping us over the years. Thank you for winning the Vietnam war for us by defeating the Soviets in Afghanistan, We are forever grateful.
Why not pull them out now?
Let's not kid ourselves. We had to invade Afghanistan to save our pride and to show the world that we had the financing and forbearance to fight this war on ground chasing the shadows. But ego aside, we all know that winning the endeavors in Afghanistan is not possible without Pakistan. Yes, we have cajoled Pakistan over the years, threatened them, poor boyed them, played the neighbor against them, let the congressional dogs lose doing the god guy – bad guy routine and done the carrot – stick dance. All to no avail. We tried partnering with India in Afghanistan and that has been a disaster. We may have won a battle or two but are on the verge of losing the war. We have hit a wall.
The time has now come to do the tango with Pakistan. That takes boldness and a desire to commit one self. And that is what we need to do. We need to form a strategic partnership with Pakistan...a long term alliance...and a commitment. We need to lay the cards on the table and not pull the rug from under them. At the same time we need to make them understand the consequences of going wayward on us. We need to evolve a common vision...and common grounds for constructive engagement. We then need to support them and then let them implement the common vision in the region under our supervision. After all, they can do it more productively, efficiently and economically than we can. That is for sure... a lesson we have learned the hard way.
Are you crazy?
We funneled hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars into pakistan's ISI(The Pakistani CIA equivalent) to fight the Russians and then to stop civil war. We did this for DECADES.
Those "Terror Camps" ran by Al-Qaida were mirrors of LARGER camps ran by Pakistan to train mostly foreign Islamic radicals.
Osama and his cronies were trained and outfitted through money from Pakistan.
Pakistan is PART OF THE PROBLEM. And, sadly, so are we.
PAKISTAN !!!!
THANK YOU …. THANK YOU…. THANK YOU!!!!
FOR MAKING USA SAFE FOR MAKING THE WORLD SAFE>>>>>>>>>>>>
Since Sep 11, 2001, over 200,000 Pakistani civilians, armed forces personnel have either sacrificed their lives or wounded; more than 3.5 million have been displaced while the country has lost over US $ 1 Trillion due to terrorism.
Despite sacrifices, Pakistan was still engaged in 'the war for world peace”.
No other country has even come close to selflessly sacrificing so much.
That makes a lot of sense. After all US-Pakistan alliance goes all the way back 65 years when they helped us break ice with China and defeat the communist Soviets/India alliance in Afghanistan. Also Henry Kissinger and President Nixon flew out of Pakistan to China.
Pakistan even let us fly U2s out of their country for missions over USSR and India when we were fighting the cold war.
Get out now and save a hundred billion dollars. The end result is going to be the same anyway. It's too bad we don't remember the lesson we learned in Vietnam.
F Afghanistan; pull them all out now.
vbloodthirsty in tel aviv.
bloodthirsty in tel aviv.
Can anyone say Vietnam?
Vietnam
Excellent. Job well done, Chuck.
Reblogged this on The Current Voice.
Please....We should of just went after Osama and left. That would of made a better point from the US. Instead we decided to get Saddam first and let Afghanistan prepare for our return. We can bring our troops home and stilll protect our intrests out in the middle east.
I wonder if it might be better to avoid all wars unless we are willing to go with full-out nuclear engagement.
The purpose of war is destruction, and there is no more destructive force on the planet than nuclear. Prettying up war to be 'defending our way of life' or 'spreading democracy' or some other bull droppings is just hypocritical. War is for destruction; make it be for that purpose and no other.
There would be at most one more American war, then nobody would be suicidal enough to poke at us again.
That, or the world would all be a glowing crater, but at least we would have 'gotten our way'... hmmmm.
dont worry people, iran is next
Awesome. This will get the Muslims a chance to regroup and prepare their army with Jesus Christ (peace and blessings be upon him) as their leader to fight the evil forces of the Ant-Christ. The Anti-Christ will emerge from around the Iran-Iraq-Syria area and will be supported by the Jews and Shias. He will claim to be God. Jesus (pbuh) will God-Willing kill the Anti-Christ and Muslims will rule the world for sometime before the day of judgment.
What in the world have you been smoking?
Nothing. I don't smoke nor do I drink. I don't eat pork either because like Joel Osteen explained in his 5 min youtube video. For Muslims the truth of life and death is as clear as day just like the twin towers being brought down by controlled demolition and the third building being brought down by controlled demolition is as clear as day. The horrifying part is that people who did 9/11 are still alive and well and running this country and they can do this again to Americans or anyone else in the world anyday anytime. Peace.
Obviously some kind of crazy stuff !!
Can somebody please call the CIA on this character? Pretty sure we have a budding terrorist in our midst... Now get off the opium and, wow, please come back to reality...Did you watch the planes fly in? Did you not see the explosions? Sure we should let you Abu's just go to hell... I'll buy you a ticket... It's ridiculous. I watched it happen! There is no conspiracy! You muslims, went crazy and killed a whole lot of people in a stupid act... That is pure and simple.
AM, I think if thats the case, then I am sure you would want hundreds and thousands of hard working American (non-Muslim) professors, architects and engineers also to be reported to the CIA because they clearly seem to believe that it was a controlled demolition. Let me ask you this. Are you a moron? Have you not seen the tower 7 come down? It is people like you who pose an imminent threat to the safety and security of our children, women and citizens. Wake up from your sleep.
Remember that Muslims are not the enemy. Muslims want peace in their lives and in the world. Harming any human being is a major sin in Islam. Anyone who acuses anyone of mas murder will be punished in the hereafter. So do not speak whatever you feel like. Protect yourselves and your families from deception and a painful punishment in the hereafter.
Mmmmm, bacon.
The Obama administration is considering the removal of all U.S. troops in Afghanistan when the NATO combat mission ends after 2014,
Unbelievable ....... PEOPLE READ THE EXACT WORD ........................ AFTER 2014, ======why not before 2014, why not now.............and put all that money to our us economy.
Funny how people are saying he "surrendered" when NONE of them had the guts to serve. I served for 12 years so I know what war is like and those people are not worth one drop of our blood.
Thank you for saying what needs to be said! The middle east is twisted and cannot be straightened out. Thank you for serving your time.
God bless you Brother! Thank you. And I agree completely. They are not worth even attempting to help. They don't want it. And we can't force it. Rats... Welcome to corruption, deceit, betrayal, lies, murder, abuse of women, and the wonderful religion of Islam.
Well I have served 25 years and the majority are good people. Many misguided by Islam and the Imams that preach the perversion. And Afghanistan is in Asia not the Middle East.
"Considering"??!!??
Didn't he PROMISE us that'd he get us out by 2014?
.
I'm a Obama supporter. He lied in 2008. The troops should have been pulled out of Afgahnistan 6 months after Obama was became president. The USA could have saved over 470 bilion dollars and our troops lives and we woundn't have so many wounded warriors.
so you think its that easy as 123 or abc,
He sure campaigned that way. Oh yeah, Bush left a bigger mess than he was smart enough to realize.
That makes two surrenders from this President. What a leader. SMH
Did you ever serve? You ever have the guts to walk the line?
Yes I did, thank you for asking. I am extremely proud of my service, and do not brag about it.
Who has he surrendered to? For that matter, what were our objectives that needed to be met to be qualified as a success? Please answer, I honestly don't know, and that is pretty messed up for the longest military engagement of our history.
Hey d-ass since when is it a surrender when we caught the guy we were loooking for? Last time i checked obl is dead. We already won
Found OBL's nanothermite factory yet?
http://pulverizedtonearpower.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/pulverized-to-near-power/
Relax. This is posturing to get Karzi in line.
This country needs to PERMANENTLY get OUT of the middle eastern wars. They are NOT of our concern, nor our problem. These "WARS", which are RELIGIOUS/ETHNIC WARS have been going on for centuries and won't be settled for centuries to come, or until they COMPLETELY KILL OFF EACH OTHER.
End our addiction to petroleum, and THEN the Middle East is no longer our concern. I don't see that happening in the lifetime of anyone posting here.
Exactly! It is not a coincidence that this suddenly breaks just before Karzai is about to visit. Read between the lines folks.
Glass the place.... then put in a pool. Arizona part 2. Wait, do states get sequels?
They should have pulled them all out yesterday. Anyone who has died there has wasted their life in another worthless war.
hmmm, "Pulling all troops out in 2014?" um – AND THEN WHAT? Watch how fast Afghanistan becomes Talibanistan and all our blood and treasure will have been for nothing. What do we get for ten years of effort and sacrifice?
The better question is whether we can replace your 10 years with another higher number and come out with a better outcome. I see Afghanistan as having a war problem like drunks have an alcohol problem, and as drunks say "alcoholics are quitters" – until Afghanistan can maintain it's own impetus to stop all of the violence we should stay out of the intervention business there. They have been doing this for thousands of years, it's all they know. We can't fix what doesn't want fixing.
if i had a dollar for everytime the media has said the troops would be out, i feel this is yet another false alarm like the rest
ummm weren't they suppose to be out by christmas the year we voted president mr obama got voted in?
No, that was Iraq. And they did leave Iraq when they were supposed to.
Keith is exhibiting the typical selective memory, as is typical with Oblemmings.
Iraq:
"Now, what I've said is we should end this war responsibly. We should do it in phases. But in 16 months we should be able to reduce our combat troops"
Jan 2009 + 16 month = May 2010
"President Obama declared an end on Tuesday (August 2010) to the seven-year American combat mission in Iraq,"
.
Someone needs to learn there is a difference in meaning between the words "reduce" and "end".
Someone needs to read things in context and incorporate everything Pres Obama said and promised. I gave one example. Fine, google (obama 16 months iraq promise) and you'll see that "end" was his promise.
Obama Campaign, 2008: "Barack Obama will work with military commanders on the ground in Iraq and in consultation with the Iraqi government to end the war safely and responsibly within 16 months."
From various new organizations:
"While promising a 16-month timetable for getting all U.S. fighting forces out, Obama repeatedly insisted on..."
"we're rating Obama's promise to remove combat troops within 16 months of taking office..."
"As we reported in July 2008, Obama's 16 month withdrawal plan was not realistic..."
"Barack Obama promised that American combat troops would be removed from Iraq within 16 months of taking office..."
.
For Afghanistan:
Aug 2008: "I will end this war in Iraq responsibly and finish the fight against Al Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan."
That's a promise he made for his first term – BEFORE he was elected.
Has he finished the fight with the Taliban in Afghanistan? Nope.
.
Only clear winner of this war: Halliburton.
Amen!
Who gives a crap what Karzai wants! Bring the troops home! Stop bleeding money into Afghanistan, and put them to work here. How about guarding OUR borders for a change?
I completely agree!
"assure the stability of the Afghan government"
Our great grandchildren will be involved in Afghanistan if this policy is followed
It is time to face the fact that "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" is a lot of BULL. Where the Middle East is concerned, they are ALL our enemy. All we've been doing all these years is helping them kill each other ... to the benefit of one tribe or another. We have gained NOTHING from it. And especially now that Bin Laden is gone, there is no just reason for our continued presence in that part of the world. We should pull out NOW, not later. And our parting gesture should be to dump a load of Agent Orange on the Poppy crop. And our last words to them should be, "If we ever have to come back, we will be serious about it."
To say that Afghanistan is and has been an unpopular war is an understatement. Was never have had any business making our troops the "hired hands" of any foreign government, particularly when there is no war to be won. The Taliban is just one of many tribes, sects, religions, etc. seeking to gain power and impose their philosophy on the people. Karzai is no different or less corrupt than the rest. The idea that we need our troops on the ground to keep Al Queda or any other bunch of terrorists from having a training base false justification. We have proved we can blow them up wherever they are, and we shouldn't be squimish about it. If we really want to get the U.S back on the right track, we need to get out of the Middle East entirely and stop wasting lives and $trillions tilting at windmills.
"our" enemy = zionists' enemy. you're using "our" too liberally.
All you Afghan women, get ready for a nasty whippin'.
"The White House remains committed to ensuring Afghanistan does not return to its status as a safe haven for Al Qaeda, Rhodes said"
Thanks, I needed a laugh this morning.
Leave now!!!
But we won, right? Woohoo! Freedom fries!
NOW! DO IT NOW!!
It's already the longest war in US history, and I have yet to find a single person who can tell me why we're there (other than "because that's where bin Laden's hiding", which was a lie from the get-go).
Who will watch over the CIA's opium fields?
Shut up! If losers like you were in charge we would have another 9-11.
wow people still believe dumb terrorist did 911 all by themselves
Of course we are there to grow opium. You need to study history...war and opium go back to Alexander the Great...300 BC.
Viet-Nam...British Opium War of 1850. The British enslaved India and took their guns , forced them to grow opium which the British enslaved up to 2/3 of China with addiction. The Spanish American war when the USA took the Philippines as it was the opium outlet of that era. Let's review. 19 alleged Saudi Arabian hijackers....So we invade Iraq? And Afghanistan...Now Obama is droning to death people in Pakistan?
Wake up!
We should grow our own opium, Stop exporting jobs and money.
Please use more drones and bring the soldiers back. Also leave some fighter jets and bombers behind (for preventive pest control).
Are not Trained airmen and their support troops not soldiers...? Niice contradiction, bring em all home, but leave small and vulnerable air strike team behind! ?????
They don't control the drones from within Afghanistan. They can operate them from anywhere in the world. And in this case, the majority of them are operated from California.
Brilliant. Drones and jets when you guys can barely manage sticks and rocks. Um, no.
History will remember the Afghanistan War as America's biggest mistake and our greatest failure. But worry not, Americans. This will be our last great adventure in foreign intervention. America has stepped down from its position as the world's police force. Economic reality has forced us to rethink our role in the world. We are slowly waking up to the realization that we can't spend our tax dollars on things that directly harm our citizens, like ramping up heroin production in foreign countries. We haven't beaten the Taliban, we haven't beaten Al-Qaeda, but we always knew we wouldn't because you can't kill an idea. Terrorists can be Muslims, they can Christians, they can be Middle Eastern or they can be American. The next great terrorist attack will be like McVeigh or Kaczynski, a disgruntled American who teaches us that Islam is not the problem, our refusal to prepare ourselves is the problem.
Are you sure about that? Congress, I really question its rational thinking in getting involved. And as far as the President is concerned, that to is also open to question. WE seem to always get involved in others affairs for the "good of democracy", or the stopping of terrorism, or violation of human rights, or whatever excuse to get involved for. Vietnam was also a big disaster to get involved in.
Limiting ourselves to military misadventures, 1812 was our greatest failure, and Vietnam was a far greater mistake. The problem with Afghanistan is mission creep, from dismembering Taliban support for international terror, largely accomplished on an effective basis in the first months of the war, to a hopeless nation building exercise in an isolated, landlocked tribal society most of which does not really want to be a nation state. If the mission had been purely brief and punitive, it would have met its objectives, and Afghanistan would probably not be any more chaotic than it is now.
However, I would rate slavery as the USA's greatest mistake and failure, hands down. Take a longer view.
rest assured, whatever riches underground afghanistan will be looted by global 1% before our "police" role funded by 99% is over. total success for the global 1%. always.
I think we should get everyone out by the end of the week while Hammy Karsham is over here visiting. When he gets home he can be greeted by the taliban leadership
Please keep the drones. Also use drones on the kashmir side of Pak.
Could we get the Tablian's perspective on this withdrawl?
Nevermind, I know what they will say:
Allah be praised, Allah Akbar.
Our prophet and savior Osama bin Laden shall be resurrected.
Your brain fart type, faux news garbage consuming...right wing trash... were wrong then...and you will continue to be wrong...
Taliban will long continue the resistance...but the Afghan army and administration has been strengthened to a sufficient point ..where Taliban total takeover is unlikely....Same thing as in Iraq will happen, continued insurgency, but the gov't there can take the brunt...
Once foreign troops are out, and Talibans continue on their tactic against a modern Afghan gov't...their popularity will slowly begin to diminish....add to that the ever presence of drones and strategic strikes that will forever continue to hunt their leaders...
Wow, that sure is some good pot ur smoking out in Colorado.... maybe you should put down the pipe and sober up before posting.
We accomplished what there? Thank you Bush. Congrats Cheney, Rice and Rumsfeld. Don't spend it all in one place for God's sake. Spread it around.... Now, our troops will come home and the military will start their typical "early out" programs in an attempt to downsize and our veterans will struggle looking for a good job. What a terrible waste of good young men and women.
We destroyed Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and eventually got bin Laden. I agree that Bush, Cheney, Rice and Rumsfeld could have accomplished that sooner (2001 in Tora Bora). However getting out now or sooner would be ideal.
Alex you are too optimistic
"We also overthrew the Taliban, united tribes and coalitions, reintroduced an elective government, built roads and infrastructure, built schools and medical facilities, rebuilt two international airports, are working to rebuild private industry, extended security, law and control, and are fighting to suppress the industry that supplies ~97% of the world's supply of opium"
I think all that will be gone soon...
Well, as Dave pointed out, we crushed a top global terrorist network and got bin Laden. We also overthrew the Taliban, united tribes and coalitions, reintroduced an elective government, built roads and infrastructure, built schools and medical facilities, rebuilt two international airports, are working to rebuild private industry, extended security, law and control, and are fighting to suppress the industry that supplies ~97% of the world's supply of opium (which goes on to provide billions to global criminal and terrorist organizations). The list literally goes on and on. But yeah, no progress here! What more do you want?
What we did was make a select few U.S. companies and politicians very rich. Lets see how that dreamy "elected government" fairs in a few years. I'm sure it'll do better than Iraq's? No way their farmers will revert back to growing opium. No way. That country will quickly go downhill, far worse than it is now.
n2it: Yes, because no companies eveeeer profit from war or conflict. Please don't be naive. Just because there are war profiteers does not mean that good things can't be accomplished on the ground.
So you would argue that the elective government would actually do better if we left? I wouldn't bet on it.
Maybe you haven't kept up with Iraq now that it's mostly off the news, but it's actually doing quite well considering the context. Time (and our continued support) will tell.
The farmers are already growing opium; I never stated otherwise, quite the contrary actually. It will take a lot of effort, time, resources, and money, to combat it in the future. Considering the fact that Afghanistan and its opium is the primary driver for some serious global crime and terrorist activity, I would argue that it is worth it.
"That country will quickly go downhill, far worse than it is now." Where are your facts? What are you basing this belief on? Do you honestly believe it would get better if we just pull our support completely?
It's a once-in-a-century opportunity to put a whole bunch of strong, motivated, disciplined people to work repairing our infrastructure.
That way, vets get eased back into the civilian workforce and our crumbing infrastructure gets some much-needed nationbuilding-type work done.
It's a win/win, plus any bridges and power grids etc. they build won't get blown up by bronze-age idiots, so that would have to be much more satisfying for the troops.
Does anyone care to actually, I don't know, talk to the troops? I always get a kind of disgusted kick out of listening to people, completely unconnected with the war in any tangible way, shape, or form, drone on about how abysmal things are and how we've dropped the ball. Those of us in the military, who are actually connected and who are aware of the great progress that has been made in Afghanistan, and is still being made, are left scratching our heads.
There's a mountain of positive information that the media, for a number of reasons, simply doesn't report on, so the level of ignorance in the general population is understandable. What boggles my mind is why these ignorant people are often the loudest when it comes to ranting against something they clearly know nothing about.
It's because these people don't actually support the troops. They just say they do so that they can buy a ribbon or impress their friends. Truth is, they've never so much as talked to any soldier who's been over there... or cared to ask what it was like. Oh, by the way... I'd like to get this straight. Obama thinks Al Qaeda is bad in Afghanistan, but okay in Syria and Libya right? And yes, Pakistan is not right next to Afghanistan right? It would make much more sense to invade an ally wouldn't it? You do all the online research you like buddy. Too bad you can't download common sense. You can't fight an ideal, like terrorism. It's an intangible. I'm pretty sure just about everyone in the military is aware of that. We wanted Bin Laden and had a pretty good idea of where he was when (and I'm assuming you've done ALL of your research) he could have been hiding anywhere in the world really. But no, Obama drone attacks babies and it's Bush's fault for us being over there in the first place. You fault Bush for a tireless and endless war when there were plenty of Democrats in Congress who approved it. How man times has Obama thrown money at acts of war without even bothering to get Congressional approval. Here's a hint, ask Al Qaeda. I'm not pro Bush, but I'm also not blinded by pandering.
At what point did I ever blame Bush or give any indication of supporting Obama? Your comment and "points" are all over the place (are you supporting my own? against them? I honestly can't tell).
Terrorism is not an ideal. Terrorism is a set of very physical acts in support of a wide range of potentially very different goals. And yes, you can fight both physical terrorist acts and the actual ideal behind them, whatever it may be.
about time
That's not a presidential decision, bringing them home at the end of 2013 is!
Can we all admit this whole war on terror thing is just a big sham ? All it really has affected is to make us feel like our rights and freedoms are being trampled on, and for what just so I can play out some delusion that I live in a totally safe country. Well guess what that will never happen , not ever. We all need to grow up and tell our Govt. we are not children who want to hide under our beds from the so called bogeyman. It is better to be free and cautious than it is to give up your freedoms and rights and feel 100 percent safe ;which is just not possible as we all know.
No.
Sham? You do know the FBI tracks terrorist attacks? Taken from their 2011 annual report:
"Over 10,000 terrorist attacks occurred in 2011, affecting nearly 45,000 victims in 70 countries and resulting in over 12,500 deaths."
Does this sound like the bogeyman to you?
We should Ban terrorism...that'll fix it
u sir sound just like a gov't contractor! new airports,roads.schools,etc.Why.Can u tell me why?
I have to agree, tRUE. It was a sham. September 11th just gave our government the excuse it needed.
Get out of Afghanstan now–all those americans dead for no reason
Remove all troops ASAP. the Mission was to get OSAMA not REBUILD a wasteland that has no possible income to support a military.....
Censored by fascist CNN. See my FACEBOOK.
go post it on foxfacts
America is too hard-headed. We never admit when we're wrong, we think we own the world and that we're invincible. Why can't we just admit that that we cannot gain a good outcome from this war. If we packed up and went home we would save lives and money that is desperately needed here. When it comes time to fight a powerful country like Iran we're going to fail big time because of the resources being wasted.
we wont fail in a war against iran... what we fail to do is have a good exit plan... and nation building is not a good idea.
Seriously? Iran would be steamrolled.
Never underestimate your enemy or they will hit exactly where you thought you were the safest.
You know why they won't? Because we'd steamroll them...
We need to leave NOW. Nothing is being accomplished. We are not the inane Bush game of "winning the hearts and minds of the People". They hate us and want us out of their country. We are causing more deaths of innocent citizens by our presence. We build schools and they get blown up. a girl who goes to a school gets shot in the head for going to a school and the whole world is upset but 20 children in CT are massacred and the NRA is protecting the right of a killer to have a military grade weapon. The day we leave the Taliban will resume total power and it will be like we were never there.
It's time to get our soldiers out, stop wasting billions a day on a war that has accomplished nothing, has run up our debt to ridiculous amounts, murdered and disabled thousands of our soldiers for no reason anyone can explain since Osama bin Laden is dead and the whole event was done in one night by a Special Forces team, and only is enriching defense contractors like Dick Cheney's company, Hailburton.
Why aren't we instead building and repairing schools here in America? Training and adding more teachers? Building roads and repairing roads here? Feeding our own citizens who are starving? We have our own corrupt Congress of obstructionist Republicans to bring down so we can finally restore our own economy and recreate our middle class where the American Dream used to live (here not Afghanistan).
Soldiers are being murdered by Afghan soldiers and now citizens and it is a huge story in the news. They say we must leave this violent place. Should we leave Amercia too since they are more gun deaths here than all European nations combined?
Afghanistan is not our enemy. They have no army, nothing but IEDs as the main means to kill our soldiers, and destroy everything we do to help their nation. We should bring our soldiers home now and cut the Defense budget in half, end all Defense contracts, ban ALL assault weapons and large clips except for law enforcement and the military.
How many children have to die before the NRA becomes irrelevant? We have had President Reagan shot, his press secretary brain-damaged from the same gun attack, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords nearly killed and forever damaged mentally and physically. Still Congress has done NOTHING about guns. Even a shooting of guards at the Capiotl building led to no action.
The NRA and the gun sickos still defend the 2nd amendment written for the 1700s. When are we going to prioritize American lives, end gun massacres by banning assault weapons and have a national gun registry just like we have AFIS for fingerprints, a DNA database, a driver license database? Why are gun companies immune from prosecution when McDonalds gets sued and has to pay money for coffee that is too hot?
It's time to end gun violence caused by American gun makers both foreign and domestic.
Such drivel
libtard mumbo jumbo
man you are telling the truth I believe everything will go right back to the same way that it was. Let them all blow themselves up over there is the way i feel about it! If they want to spend their lives killing each other then who cares about them. They have to find a way to support means of technology that can reach us to harm us.. They kill the ones of them that are even intelligent enough to develop types of means that then they need to find funding for.
You don't seem to have any actual knowledge of the war in Afghanistan... Hint: it's not costing billions of dollars per day.
Facts? Since when do facts matter when ill-informed opinions are so much easier to spew...
Well said!
Please....... I do NOT need to read a book on here....
Good riddance to bad rubbish. If it were possible, I'd like us to leave on Saturday, the day after Karzai sees the President.
These forums are funny ...Everyone posts comments , but yet no one really ever communicates directly with one another ...what a waste
Just hate! Mostly religious, historic, or national hate. They don't know why, their grandparents told them so....but it's all hate. This stuff literally is depressing. Some of these people would rather kill us. For all I know, you're a robot from Canada!
Who cares–surely not the new generation–thoughless-some are brain dead-if the the South would have won the War of 1861-1865–things would be different–GOD BLESS THE SOUTH AND OUR COTTON FIELDS
Complete these 3 easy steps to go from loved to hated President:
1. Leave Afghanistan
2. Allow terrorist forces to rebuild
3. Become victim of homeland terrorist attack
So we stay in Afghanistan forever and have our resources sapped until we nothing left. Great idea.
I am willing to leave Afghanistan. Only a couple of targets to be authorized. Detroit first, no loss as nothing is there. Maybe Chicago, second as all they have are corrupt politicians. New York third, as they think they are the center of the universe. On the third option, the universe is destroyed and no further problems. Thank you to the Mayans...let's get it done.
Why do non Americans and non native English speakers feel the need to get on here and put out their broken English , barely comprehensible opinions?
Trust me, those ARE the Americans.
I admit, it's me
Deport all illegals
Speak English or get out of the USA
Quite demanding everything written in Spanish
$113,000,000,000.00-This years cost of illegal imigration
1,400,000-the number of illegal immigrants households getting one major welfare program
Benifits: food stamps-wic-school lunches-medicaid-wic-ssi-subdized housing
The American electorate chose to elect people who do not understand the instruments of power.
The World knows the U.S. has lost the war in Afghanistan, now is the time for the electorate to accept this fact.
Better luck next time!
They'll need those troops to confiscate the guns in the United States.
This is silly how stupid do you think we are ? It's obvious this occupation has nothing to do with eliminating safe haven for Al Queda . as they have just moved to other countries ..Don't see the US doing much about those places ....this is all a load of crock ....Experiment to see if people even read or respond to one another...Question and someone answer it ...Do you think CNN is now playing to just getting higher ratings , so they get more advertiser revenue ...If no one answers this then that proves this whole forum idea is nothing but a waste of time
We should remove all forces from a-stan ASAP, surely within six months. Nothing is going to get better for us there.
There are real people here. Who knows where they are from or if every single one of them works for CNN?!? Their ate definitely a "haters of America" squad...and their word usage is poor...but so is mine. You'll notice no one says I or me...emotion lacking, professional writing. What's even more scary is this is one of the only intelligent conversations in my world....but filled with childish hate, partisanship, and anti-Americanism. I think they are pmayinv with me too. It's even worse when all your predictions come true. And Im totally sane....for now
Edit for bunches
Mr Obozo said we are winning the Afghanistant war. So, do not worry, spending your unemployer checks as musc as you can.
The people here begging not to leave Afghanistan are the same people who think 9/11 happened because middle easterners are jealous of our 'merican freedom.
We went to Afghanistant because Obama buddy was living there. we tried to kill Bin laden, but he ran away to Pkistant. We are done with Afghanistant. Obama has provided security for the drug trafficker Karzai. Get the hell out of there as fast as we can. frankly speaking, there is no oil in there, all they have is cocain, ovanium.
They will be there longer under Obama than under Bush.
Like GITMO?
Yes. Pull them out. Like we were promised 5 years ago...
Like GITMO?
Like the report blaming Saudi Arabia for 9/11 that we drew black lines through and the media allowed them to ignore
May as well pull them out as the Obama aministration's know nothing rules of engagement has made them sitting ducks anyway. Who fights a war with one hand tied behind your back and you can only fire if you ask the enemies permission ?
Obama, these are nothing but mostly conservative guys. Most wouldn't vote for him anyway. They are the goyim that his advisors talk about. It only counts if it is about the phoney Ashke_nazi Khaz_ar Zi_onists Jews who took over Palestine.
Probably you look into your toilet mirror and you see yourself a better picture, is it a monkey or a lip-servicer!!!!
If Bush did not go to Afghanistant after 9/11, then your folks and CNN stupidreporters blame he is not a US president.
Bush had just below 30,000 troops, the anti-war jumped up and down and defat ourself before the enemies attacked us.
The Obama increased to 90,000 troops and trillions. Your stupidliberals blame it is Bush fault.
Obama and his administration provide the safe haven/protection for Karzai's drug cartel/trafficker. your folks said, it is the right things to do.
Obama played the "US paper tiger" , your folks gave him the purple medal for excellent appology jobs the al-queda and enmies!
Now, Obama is trying to run away like a bited dog . your folks said Obama won the Afghanistant war, and ended.
The fact is that There is no US president kissthe enemiesass like Obama. Viva the hipiies, cracked in college
Common sense tells me you shouldn't tell the enemy when you are planning on leaving. So confused with this administration o.O
It doesn't matter. We can't be there for eternity.
Biden said the Taliban wasn't the enemy over a year ago, this administration plans on leaving Afghanistan to them. Lets be brutally honest. The last 11 years will have been for nothing.
Better to limit it to 11 years rather than 13. "Sunk costs" was the reason we stayed in Vietnam too long. Let's not make that mistake any worse here.
Does anyone think that the Taliban believes it can take the US military on head first? Their tactic is to drag us into poverty just like they did with the Soviet Union. The Taliban aren't a stupid enemy as the media would have you believe.
The war with the Taliban was lost from the start. By fighting a PC war we allowed them to just ride things out. The Taliban should no longer exist. It's the same thing with the Bathe party.
It would be like going into WW2 Germany, defeating Hitler, then saying, "Okay, you guys can still be Nazi's". In today's world we don't destroy the enemy, we try to make friends with them.
I hope so, so many bad deaths for really bad economic issues, economy has to be equal, the partys has to win,
But anyway wars for the stupid (amigos) "americanos" that's what they like to do, and then why children kill kids in any age from 5 – 99. Maybe your political decisions are rotten, maybe Bush made September 11, Maybe they fall by US hands...
Maybe is time to change and chosse as a "pueblo" new liders who cares on education and jobs, those are the formula for better country and a better world, I don't know why but I still trust the US, they do everything to not believe more in them but I still have hopes I believe they could be good friends, and noy try to steal good by making war in other countries besides take care of their own people.
.
Leave now ! ! ! - Better, leave YESTERDAY ! ! !
please
Yep
Afghans deserve Sharia law, nothing else. That is what a stone age country deserves. They do not deserve democracy or a republic. Let them go back to chiselling flint and eating goats. The rest of the world has moved on....
Saudi Arabia attacked us on 9/11. Why we continue to blame puppets is beyond me.
So what WH is saying it OK for talban to stay in Afghanistan then why US forces are fighting with talban?
If the USA was full of as many p*ssies in 1945 as there are today, those few of us who survived would be speaking German. It's so nice for you "peacemakers" to run around protesting war when it is the only reason you have freedom today. Either face reality that it is a tough world that requires occasional unpleasantries, or lose your freedom.
A war between countries and a fight with insurgents are two very different things.
That is the most character lacking reason to continue frivolous hostility for zero gain I've heard. Give me a sane reason open combat in Afghanistan should continue? Do you work for a defense contractor? My family is laying in Arlington. The rest did decades.
Also, I hope you're serving or have served in the military as I am now. Otherwise, calling people p*ssies would be a little ironic.
Sorry Afghans...in America under the Obama regime we have a new tradition and saying...it's called....'being thrown under the bus'!
Wish they would just pull them all out tomorrow. What difference would it make. Likely none.
Obama really has done everything possible to make Afghanistan the left-wing version of the Vietnam war and because of his social determinism it will end in the same human disaster; way to go President ruler of the realm of delusion. Good luck in your pathological disconnect of Islam with terrorism and finding a humane member of the Taliban..
I'm not sure if I believe it exactly..."drones been droning" and these wars have been dragging on long enough that you have to question "why"? Regarding the human disaster, I believe Karzai was alluding to the same thing, but hard to tell what is juice and what is legit.....I hope we act sensibly
but,
that was one fancy piece of writing. I'm impressed. I'm am not an English savant, and often slob it up, but that was awesome (regardless of my personal reaction to the content).
"Afghan government has a security force that is sufficient"
So, they did not have one before NATO came, why does anyone think they will ever have one?
Kazari has pocketed all the foreign aid America sent.
PULL THEM NOW!!!! Why sacrifice more lives?? My brother is going back over there in February- for the second time. He has seen so many horrible things he will NEVER be the same boy again. What these wars have done to the troops is simply horrific... and will be carried for generations.... and to the poster "Amy" ... go over there and fight yourself or send your own son, husband or brother- you might feel differently!!!
CONSIDERING? They are CONSIDERING removing troops by 2014? This should have been done a decade a go or in 2008 at the least like Obama promised. The missions over, been over. If Osama was the goal, he had been in pakistan for YEARS, reason enough to not have been there for years, letting our men and women die over there for a country that resents us. Commanders on the ground and Obama in the WH have no spine.
How did Obama promise he'd have the troops out by 2008 when he wasn't even president until 2009? Another trip to the "Comments" section, another few thousand brain cells squandered.
Nobody has conquered the Chinese or Afghanistan in world history. There is a reason for that they are fearless. I know we have the best tier one guys out there in all services, but most of the combat troops should come home. The Taliban can't be let loose on "friendly" Afghans after 2014 because it will be mayhem. Some one needs to stay back and protect the Women and Children, but only the best and willing. Karzai will become a problem in the future like the Shah of Iran. This is de ja vu.
The Chinese were forever destroyed over 1000 years ago by the mongrels, their entire dna was altered as the mongrels enter every part of their country, its in a book, just go to the library, and the only reason these cavemen have held on is because of the restraint shown by the powers that have fought to control the country, they have no magic that defies conquest, if it were all out war the burn mark would be there for years to come, its politicians who make statements like America lost in Viet Nam, they never wanted to win in the first place and secondly again if they wanted to there would just be a scarred landscape remaining where Viet Nam is today. We live in a clinical world today where you couldn't possibly deal with these people the way a true conqueror would do in the past. Their resilent people ( Afghanis ) but there isn't a nation on earth besides perhaps the United States that couldn't be destroyed. I'm not even a conservative or American for crying out loud but I do know what is what.
Asked my friend who's son is in Afghanistan if she thought torture was o.k. if it saved her son's life. She said 'yes' !
Go marines and wipe out those natives !!! Kill them all !!!
Hell, yeah.
I will believe it when I see it! My son will be going there in April and I pray daily he will come home alive!
Obama was waiting for second Term. To get the old spentout hawks like MaCaine out of the road..Why did US go there in first place.??..This is 3rd War after 1945, from where American Mighty Fire Machine has been pushed back without a piece of Land and 60,000 coffins sent back...The remaining 15000 will be shot by Talibans like sitting ducks...Can we afford to receive more body bags?
Warning: beware the "American Mighty Fire Machine"..........because........it has been pushed back......
You sound scared right now.
We went there because most trained al-queda forces were there. Raiding, taking over villages, out running their government system, planning terrorists attacks nation wide, killing civilians and threatening them. Their training camps will put nationwide security on 24/7. To prevent and eliminate this threat, the States and NATO had to take down the al-Qaeda and its forces. and rumor is they're moving into Africa. If this is a threat to all citizens around the world and if this group enlarges over the years... we would of been f** with WMD.
A much better answer...beers and emotionalism...it's Tuesday.
Wednesday now, actually.
Alqueada was not running the government in Afghanistan, nor was it taking over villages. It went there because the Taliban had many similar positions on religion and the organization of society. It was a major problem, absolutely. But invasion and trying to fight a conventional war was a bad decision. You want to win not just relocate them. You fight with brains not by pouring manpower in as if it was WW2.
My friend in the army who faught in Afganistan says the troops wonder why they are still there, that the Afgan army is large enough and well enough equiped to deal with anything, and with nice weapons we gave them, not crappy ones. I say pull every last troop out of their.
We'll end up leaving a few thousand troops, mainly Army Green Beret to continue assisting and training. I am sure well also need to leave some Navy and Army EOD to continue locating IEDs.
We have been training for long enough. IT is their country and they need to run it. They have a chance and that is enough. No more Americans need to die.
our troops need to come home they dhould have come home a long time ago.and people wonder why our nation is in trouble.simple bring our troops home and stop spending money on always going to war in another country.and support our people in our own streets that are homeless
As a Neighbor to the Americans up north :). I agree with you but those type of procedures are not simple .... One doesn't simply pullout the Military from the Country in 1 day .... It takes weeks if not months to carry out that procedure.... You need an Exit Strategy my friend
No need to worry. Al Qaeda is moving to Syria. Problem solved.
Funny....true ...
Right? They have established their own country now, in the northern remnnats of what used to be Mali before it fell to a military coup about 9-10 months ago. When the coup happened, all the contractors abondoned their jobs and left, leaving behind tons of heavy equipment to build bunkers there. They have already established armed and patrolled borders and made it their new home.
All we have done for the last 10 years is pretty much for naught. Tough to swallow but it makes it no less true.
Mali will be a problem sooner than later. Destination unknown?!? Cabinet picks look pretty good for that sort of arena.
SF is already in Mali as we speak.
As long as US can make sure it protects the pipeline (building by Chevron) in Afghanistan, US army no need to be there.
"Retreat, hell we just got here!" ~ Captain Lloyd Williams, USMC at the Battle of Belleau Wood WWI
Tell 'em
I'm not worried. I'm sure we'll have started a war somewhere else by then.....
BD
Bet Chuck Hagel has more insight on the issue than anyone on here.
Nobody seems to remember that Russia couldn't tame that godforsaken place. A tribal country with tribal mentality. The country is hurtling backwards in time. We either stay for the next hundred years or get out of Dodge.
Obama talked to Gorbachev about Afganistan too. Only thing that Obama did that disappoints me is maintain our forces there, a total waste.
Her name and rank is Sgt Danielle Robert Duvall and has served 20 yrs in the service and they can't send her home after i tried everything they asked and now they want more money , she served her time and country long enough ,now its my time for her to be with me ,can anyone help me get her home
A) What the hell are you talking about? and B) Why are you putting your full name and that soldier's full name on this thread? Do you not realize how much information you have just given to the whole world about yourself? One 'people search' and the whole world knows who you are. Am I missing something here?
No
We need to just simply pull out of Afghanistan just like the Russians did back in 1989 if we can't get the Karzai regime and the Taliban to the negotiating table. We never had any true right to invade that country in the first place! Leaving any of our troops in Afghanistan after 2014 is just sheer insanity at best!!!!!
Go burn your bra or something. Iraq, maybe. But the land of Osama – it was 'game on' after they killed our innocent civilians. Roll over if you want to and let anyone terrorize your nation and you won't have a nation left.
Maybe you should try to keep up with current events. Al Qeada has moved to Northenr Mali and established their own country there, larger than the size of Texas.
If you think we are doing anything in Afghanistan other than spinning our wheels, you might want to think again. Its a money pit and exactly where Bin Laden led us to wallow in debt, just like they did to Russia back in the 70's and 80's. You do realize the cold war was won by afghansitan not us, right?
I believe they should have handled Osama like our OBAMA did Gaddafi. Or like our OBAMA ultimately handled Osama. These invasions were a waste. Osama has been dead over a year and we are still losing our people there.
steve, you big dummy
Taliban are back- stronger than ever. Osama- if you believe the official story- was shacked up with our "friend" Pakistan. Our mission over there is pointless and endless. You need to do some research.
9/11 was an engraved invitation to a world war. At one time support for retaliation was at 90%. It is too our shame that we lost interest and changed the channel.
James, I don't believe we lost interest, we took the wrong approach. And got a personal grudge settled for Bushy, in the process, for no reason. If the Taliban want to rule Afghanistan to heck with 'em. It's a hell hole anyway. Now the 911 jerks, well that was simple. Covert, bribes and a tactical nuke... Cost .01 percent. American lives lost? Maybe a few... Wounded warriors, very few...Two completely unfunded and unnecessary wars? RIDICULOUS.
Of course Karzi wants the US to stay. They are pumping him with so much money he can't spend it fast enough. If the US leaves he will be dead in 5 minutes after the pullout.
yeah i been trying to get my finacee from Afganastan and spent 1500 dollors to get her out and now they grounded all flights and now they want me to send another 1250 dollors for a plane ticket on public airline , thats the military for you now i got to wait for them to start fling again to get her home to get married , thank you Obama for everything you screwed up
You keep talking like that and you'll end up in a 'fusion center'; aka 'residential center'.
The day will come when they start killing people for dissing Obammy.
Or droned.
I'm afraid you could be right, BelladonnaCove. Those right-wing fanatics in Washington would just love to somehow stifle those of us who disagree with Obama and his right-wing henchmen!!!!!
Lyndsie you're not making any sense. Obama and his right-wing....? Must be my bed-time.
I think it's left-wing liberals... Lindsie....
Afghan mail order bride...pretty sad and pathetic.
I find it hard to believe that anyone would marry somebody so uneducated. You did not do very well in school did you?
yes... Thank u obama for diverting troops out of Afghanistan from Tora Bora to invade Iraq for no reason. and TY for requiring 26 Debt Ceiling increases to pay for the 2 wars
You screwed up by getting engaged.
Our Presidents need to learn that occupation should be a last resort to any conflict. Occupation is bad overall for the economy and morale.
After 9/11 we should have done missile strikes and then called it quits.
We have the technology to completely destroy cities without the use of nukes. Ask Tokyo what damage can be done without the use of nuclear weapons.
Occupying is dumb and only a waste of our resources. Terrorists are going to be around regardless of how long we stay over there.
Agreed Occupation only serves the occupied
So? um? Obama should not have invaded Afghanistan because the Taliban would not hand over Osama, or Obama should not have invaded Iraq.... u lost me
give me one freakin good reason why my son or anyone kid/husband/daughter/wife, should be over there to train forces? They are shooting the forces on their bases that are training them. Let them live how they want to and kill each other. We got Osama. Come home troops.
So maybe Robert Bales had a point ? Seriously though I think his wife Kari 'egged' him on. Did you read her facebook posts right after he shot those civilians ? Totally weird.
training troops that Afghanistan has no Income to pay... their top 10 exports are OPIUM.
There's no reason for us to be over there.
Heroin, we're there for the heroin.
Interesting strategy. The enemy loves Obama. But the funny thing is that they will be the first to go to DC and hunt down the fool.
We should have left Afghanistan long ago. Those muslims feel everyone has to convert or else.
Look at what their 'koran' says... " That at the name of allah every knee shall bow... in heaven and on earth....and every tongue will say the name of allah and mohammed..."
Well some of us won't be saying that name at the end of the world.
Crazy muslims.
Silly. Those Arabs are desperate to unite their people for their survival an enemy. And they have come as far as dropping God name to do that. And it would be equally stupid to feed that.