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."
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I wonder if President Karzai will feel safe in DC. I've been to Kabul and DC and I'm not sure which one I was more nervous in.
Believe me I don't like US Troops to be in Afghanistan even one day.
I hate them to be in my Country
If US officials always talks about Human Rights,then it is my right that I don't want them in my Country-So please consider my right- and I have a lot of reason, that why we don't want them in our country.
Look, the Russians were there for 20 years and got there asses kicked. Why the hell did we go into Afghanistan in the first place??? So much for all of the bureaucrats and the Washington think tank employees with their Phd.'s. I guess they didn't learn anything from the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Morons!!!
Let's bring our troops home ASAP!!!
pull them NOW!!!!!!
Get them home now or send Congress over there to see how they like it!
We should give Egypt a chance to earn all that foreign aid they get from the USA. We should let our pyramid friends in the middle-east train new Afghan troops. It will be up to the Afghan people to decide whether they want to permit the Taliban to overtake their lives. Afghan troops don't need 21st century technology or weapons to fight the Taliban. We should pull our troops out now.
How many people callin this Obama's war and calling him King Obama are stil looking for Ws weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Which was approved by so many. When we originally went into Afghanistan, it was relatively easy to overcome a tin pan regime, but the administration decided to put there efforts into iraq, and forgot about Afghanistan. People have short memories, are too young to rememeber or don't want to hear it because it didn't come from Faux News.
Faux news? What is that?
Time to take our toys and go home!!!!!
The sooner the better.
Mission accomplished: The TAPI pipeline will not be built, but the opium fields, which the Taliban tried to eliminate, are now flourishing. The heroin pipeline is well developed, and will continue to run junk to Russia and the West, while the dollars are laundered by globalist banks. The mineral wealth is already being exploited by a Chinese company mining copper. I guess mercenaries, on the U.S. dime, will be guarding for the Chinese. Good work Bush Lite and Obummer. That is what young Americans lost their limbs and lives for.
They should pull them all out NOW!!!! Leaving any in theatre will only get them killed since those people will make a sport out of getting as many as possible. This is an unjust war and an exit plan is not possible for wars that should have never happened. You must have an objective to have an exit plan, these poor troops can have neither. Please just bring them home soon. The President should personally lead squadrons of tranports toull them all out immediately before more lives are lost needlessly!!!
Agree.
Not sure why we're there in the first place.
With a thousands of percent increase in poppy production and the all time record amount of pure smack on the streets of the USA ever, it is obvious why our multinational bank controlled military industrial complex is there. Not to mention all the rare earth elements in them mountians..... The NWO will just change the name from troops to "peacekeepers" for the sheeple tax payer.....
What about all that lithium? Are we just going to leave it there??
Bring home all the troops, starting tomorrow. We're not the world's cop.
That's it! tell the enemy how long to lay low. These terrorists types are far waiting power than we do. That's as bad as Iraq were we told them in advance we were coming so they got their weapons programs dismantled in advance. It's like phoning a drug dealer you are coming to arrest him weeks ahead and tell him exactly when you are going to be there.
The enemy will always be there.
If the range for continued support is 6,000 to 15,000, I recommend we stick with the minimum of 6,000 and if a situation were to arise we would have soldiers nearby in the region that can easily be deployed on a moments notice.
The question I keep asking is what are we still doing there. Are we winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people? Are we truly making the country safer? Or are we simply risking American lives and spending money we can't afford?
No, no, and yes. Nothing about that country is conducive to a strong central government. Not the terrain, not the existing infrastructure, and certainly not the people. It will never be effectively governed from Kabul.
We are there to take by force the resources such as poppys and the rare earth elements in the Kush Mountains.
Well, I confess that much of what king obama does I disagree with, but I guess even he can get it correct once in awhile. Bring them ALL home, the sooner the better!!
Bringing us home is great. The VA will be overwhelmed. I think there needs to be a budget adjustment to the VA so it can handle all my buddies who will be getting out.
You make a very good point! I am a volunteer (and a disabled Vietnam vet myself)at our local VA Hospital;so far most of the patients I see are Vietnam,Korean,and WWII vets, but it's pretty crowded already.
Bring them home now. We aren't doing anything of help over there... they will continue to kill each other.
Enough. Bring the troops home. This should be an economic decision as well. We can't afford it!! Never is there any talk about the impact on us taxpayers! Sorry but isolationism might be a good thing for this country as what other cliff is out there that our government branches have prepared us for and will find effective solutions for...(this is called sarcasm), so don't jump all over this.
This idea of total withdrawal from Afghanistan is encouraging step to end more then a decade long senseless war on terror. Wining through guns have failed however wining hearts and minds has visible success. Now America should CHANGE and should win the hearts and mind of the nations of the world if wish to rule the world. Afghans lesson has proved that guns, bombs and other terror tactics for subjugation of the world had been bad idea and has backfired.
here's how to end ALL of W's, his neo-con war mongerers (esp including Cheney and Elliot Abrhamson) ridiculousness
save BILLIONS in unnecessary was costs AND make all US citizens feel a little better about all the wasted TRILLIONS;
As part of State of Union Obama advises that ALL troops will be out of there ASAP (Like 6/30 or so) and that this 4th of July will be a special Independence Day (indep from war mongers and DoD money wasting crooks too).
There will be special parades, largest one a ticke- tape type in NYC ending at ground zero) honoring ALL troops who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and makes the declared holiday encompass the entire weekend and require all employers to give these veterans the weekend off (paid) to participate. Its the LEAST we can do for these folks.
The parades will be funded by an across the board cut in funding of 0.1% on ALL DoD programs. And then dare the tea tardz, neo-cons, DoD contractors, Isreal-firsters, deficit crazies, spend-a-phobes or anybody else to criticize it.
Tell oh enlightened one, what should our response been after the 9-11 attacks.
You do remember 9-11?
How about we go into Afghanistan (if that's where the "bad guys" were), kick the bleep out of those responsible for supporting/funding the 9/11 attacks, then get the heck out! Oh, and stay out of Iraq!
To start with find Bin Laden and eliminate, not start another war with Iraq because GH told GW to finish his war. If hindsight were available as well start using drones from day one and save American lives in the process. Thereby running the country so far into the ground that there would be a period of twenty years to recover. I know that hindsight is twenty/twenty, but that still doesn't excuse the actions of America's worse president.
We caused the attack on 9/11 by stationing our troups in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of our response was to eleminate the ones responsible. We should have started with both Bushes and Chaney.It was no accident that all of the terrorist were Saudis.
Both of the Bushes and Dick Chaney should be arrested, put on trail for treason and war crimes and then put in jail for the rest of their lives.
Whatever. At this point President Obusha is just as resposible for them still being there.
Maybe we need to pull some of that poppy in Afghanistan, and see if it makes the people who use it violent, and crazy? Seems like it does, also a thought to ponder, if Russia had not killed off some of the crazies, we may have lost more of our U.S. troops than we did To me, it takes alot of "crazy" to apply a vest and blow yourself up, and other people. Some call it brain washing, most likely easy to do, since these people have no education. Sad, just bring our troops home. We don't need to be in this hell hole.
2013, 2014 who hell cares just get our american son and daughters out of that hell hole. How many of you sh#$%$t talker on this post have ever been there. I venture to say not many of you have. War is a terrible thing and it does terrible things to people who experience it. I say the sooner the better, in my opinion the people of that part of the world are not interested in solving the differences between them and we can not wait around for it. GET OUT NOW.
Never been there or involved in war so your right there and a Canadian, but whenever I see a Canadian soldier I always thank them for their service to the country, we just got out a year ago, but we lost many young men and far to many wounded. I don't think Karzai deserves support from any country, the quicker your men and women come home the better. American soldiers have both my respect and thanks for what they do in the world. As for the middle east, let it go to the hell it so rightly deserves.
I say bring all of our soldiers home, we can't afford (sustain) further involvement. We tried, the Russians tried, to no avail. Transfer the power over to Nato. The time is now...
If you seriously want (and I suspect the US govt. does not want) to end terrorism, remove ALL army bases from ALL the countries we have them in around the world (more than 60 countries), get the fak out of iraq/afhganistan/and elsewhere we have troops. Leave the people/world alone. Mind our business and do what the chinese have done. Afterall, the china-ization of the US has started already. People already live on $8/hour....now with no actual benefits, insurance, and especially retirement, might as well get everything done...made in the USA...
That would make sense if the US govt had interest in shutting down its military industrial complex.
Obama had made it a promise to withdraw them first year first term.....hmmmm
Uh wow! That promise has always been 2014. Too much Fake News Channel I guess?
No he didn't.
Actually he did say that,Sally,but it was just another campaign promise
Does it Matter? Better late than never. Did you care that GWB sent over 4,500 Americans to their death and thousands disabled just to get even with Sadam?
I cared, but nobody in Congress did.
the afghans are as corrupt as any member of the us senate and congress; like any other dictatorship, only a few chosen people have all the monies given to them by so-called friendly nations. how do we stop this bleeding sive of our money? easy quit giving it. once we stop giving money and support to the afghans, sure, they'll go else where, that is why they are shoring up their options now, and placing monies in offshore or swiss banks. no one, i mean no one, else will give them what they want, except china, whom buys up any minerals rich country; the chinese see nothing there of interest, huh, we'll pass. without our troops or cash, the afghan counrty will turn into utter chaos; unless we set a clear doctrine of our goals, we will never be able to have a straight face, while leaving a bigger mess to clean up.
Why not bring them home right now and avoid future unwarranted deaths of us soldiers. They don't want our help. Bring our men and women home safe.
Guess we won't be building a Walmart there after all.
Didnt Obama Administration promise that 4 years ago. Still have friends being sent over there.
No he did not promise that all troops would be out of Afghanistan. He promised to end the war in Iraq.. Two different countries, two different missions.
Let's not jump to conclusions...
Our government is using her military to defend against irrelevancy of past contempt. How much tax money do you politicians with your hurt pride plan to spend to make up for your hilarious defeat. You will never invent a plane of war which will over turn the growing contempt for the red white and blue. There is no smoke grenade that blocks out your true face. It is impossible to demonstrate military cohesion flawlessly enough to make the majority of earth's children not feel 9-11 was a hoax on us all.
Take a deep breath....collect your thoughts and try again. That made no sense whatsoever.
God loves you too.......
Huh!!!
Looks like the hoax's on you with that post.
Promises, promises – I can only hope and pray we are fully out by then.
Why not now and save some dollars that we need to pay Ccommunist Chinese in debt interest ? Afganistan was Bush's dreamed up war as Gore Vidal describes in his book "Dreaming War -Blood For Oil and the Cheney-Bush Junta". It was a phoney war and our treasury was depleted while Bush's friends got richer.
At one time profiteering was a crime equal to treason. Darth Cheney & Co. took care of that I guess.
Think Afghanistan will fall to the Taliban as fast as South Vietnam fell to the North, once the troops leave?
South Vietnam fell, but actually became a peaceful and productive country once "we" got out of the way! Today, Vietnam is a trading partner with the US!
Vietnamese living in the US can actually return to visit and live to come back!
"We" lost the war in Vietnam, but the Vietnamese won peace and prosperity without us! Lesson learned? I doubt it!
and why would we care? you see how much chaos has been created by a fallen Vietnam? NONE! exactly......
so again, why are we supposed to care, OR FUND anyone, who runs that 800 AD excuse for a society?
and every flag wavin' "mercun rednuck who wishes to continue to see our soldiers come home in boxes-
all for a lie, stand up and be counted. quit hiding behind the flag and your mommy's skirt.
Like every other topic there are a million experts here that know way more than anybody else about everything.
My biggest worry is that we don't know enough.
Admit it ,we can't win,we cant never be world police.Why waste more lives , injuries and billions of our borrowed money.Why not NOW ?
The goal is not to win. I don't know what the goal is anymore. This place doesn't even have oil to fight over. Whether Obama brings home 90% of the troops or 100% is not news. If he wants to impress the American people, he should do what GoldMinetown recommends and bring them all back at the end of THIS year!
No oil, but approximately a trillion dollars in precious metals, not to mention, all the poppy the world needs =/
Winners don't police the world. They don't "win hearts and minds." They KILL the enemy.
If you have been watching "The Untold History of The United States" you will see very clearly that there has been a concentrated effort by our gov. to control the world since the end of WWII. We have either assasinated or had heads of state around the world assasinated to achieve this purpose. There is strong evidence that our CIA assasinated JFK because he was against the war in southeast asia. He had made the decision to bring all of our troops home from southest asia just before he was murdered, the withdrawal was opposed by the military and the CIA.There is also clear evidence by both Bushes that they altered evidence to gain support for both wars in Iraq. Several CEO's of major american companies, including Ford Motor , GM, Singer aided Hilter during WWII but were never tried for treason. This list also includes Prescott Bush, GW Bush's grandfather. He funneled money to the Nazis through his banking system. My fears are that Obama might be murdered if he turns america away from this golbal conquest. By posting this, I will most likely be put on a CIA watch list. Americans, wake up!!! We must take back our country. The vermin that one poster mentioned is right here in america.
Did you forget to take your medication? Sorry to tell you, but the world IS that random and completely out of our control. It drives me insane to no end when conspiracy theorists spout their nonsense. JFK was killed by one man, and no evidence exists otherwise. What you're saying is much more interesting than the truth, but this ain't no movie.
JFK, Patrick, was killed by his driver and some other shots were fired. If you think that Oswald did it why have over 100 witnesses, including Jack Ruby ,die. Col. Craig Roberts, an expert Marine Corps sniper wrote on the subject in "the Medusa File ". You may change your mind after some reading.
Patrck frankly speeking I doubt your integrity loyalty to American nation other wise the US history since WW II to this day has a lot to make you understand what DavidInNC has dared to say. If he is American then he is true son of his motherland and has the courage to say what he see is against the interest of nation and a state. This is internet age and with one click you can see the past and present and then asses where you stand today. Tody America is not safe as in new milliinium Chinese rising economy has changed the basic concept of being a super power in the world. America has to change and return to for what it had been created before it is burried by the CIA and Pentagon. America stands for Peace, universal justice and fraternity and in decleration of independance, avoiding alliances in world affairs, is to avoid wars, expanding trade relations with rest of the world is to make America and rest of the world happy and prosperous, had been main ideals for which America had come into existance.
I hope Patrick you will reconsider your views and will reform what you see is against the interests America and rest of the world.
Funny that you ask if he took his medication. I would think it's a better question for you, if you seriously believe JFK was killed by a single shooter. You believe the magic bullet theory? Really?? HAH!
Personally Patrick, I think fruitcakes multiplied uncontrollably this past Xmas season. I'm looking at some of these posts and am really afraid that some of these folks are likely gunnuts as well. That is scary...
May I also add that american companies in Germany who were turning out bullets and other war equipment that was being used by the Nazis to kill our troups, were compensated by our gov. at the end of the war for the factories that were destroyed.
Almost everyone disbelieved the Warren Commissions assesement of what really happened. Isn't it interesting that during the investigation, no one suggested that they try to duplicate the murder by using an expert markman with a bolt action single shot rifle?
DavidInNC,
You are 100% right!!
Um, little off the wall there, David. If America was bent on conquering the world why would we have left all the countries we have invaded/been militarily involved in? Why did we leave Europe after the WWII? We can't let ourselves be tricked by silliness like this in this day and age. Some common sense and original thought is all that it takes to not fall prey to such nonsense.
Um Happy Joe, I think you may want to do a Google search on "what countries does the US have military troops in" before you start speaking of something you know nothing about.
Its only nonsense to those who refuse to believe the facts.
When I first saw this headline – 'US May Pull All Troops from Afghanistan' – I think I hoped like MOST Reading It – That the US had come to its senses and was NOT waiting for HUNDREDS more Americans to Die for NO REASON and was NOT going to WASTE Another Hundred Billion Dollars on People who HATE Us – That We were going to come Home NOW.
That's exactly what I was hoping, yet it's news that we're STILL going to be there for two more years?? Bring our young men and women home...NOW NOW NOW!!!
The War on Terror is just like the War on Drugs, it will always be there so the Government Contractors,Lobbyist, and our Elected Officials can rake in more and more money while the rest of the US struggles to get by
i dont understand why and how american peopel are being fooled in the name of this so called war. all of kind crimes increased in afghanistan after invastion e.g. drug trafficking, government corruption, US image in the mind of ordinary afghans. believe me its total loss of money and lives of innocent US soldiers. The real beneficiaries are arms dealers, pentagon generals and corrupt Karzai
In 2000 the Taliban had essentially ended the growing of Poppies for Opium Export in Afghanistan. As soon as the US Invaded – Afghanistan the the Primary source (85%) of the world's Opium for Heroin.
I am curious where you get your info, my understanding is exactly opposite.
Once we get out of Afghanistan the Taliban will take over again regardless of when we leave there! 
Which I should care about ...because?
He means that there is no point to our staying and losing lives and $$$, as no matter how long we are there, the Taliban will take over as soon as we leave. Could be.
Totally agree. We are mainly there to steal their natural resources.
I' not tying to start any issues here but it' s timefor America to start taking care of us for a change.Our infrastrctre is collapsing,foreign trade is wiping us out,401Ks are almost nonexistant,pensions are no longr offered to younger workers.etc.It's time to correct OUR problems now.Those other countries have taken enough from us,now it's time they give somehing back,ad I don' mean illegal aliens withtoken driver's license
To late for that.
I, and I think many others, would like to see the president kick the ungreatful Karzi to the curb and get every one of our guys out of his country. That seems to be what he wants, so why not oblige him? Those governments are corrupt and have been fighting each other for years and years, so let them go at it. Bin Ladin and all his personal hate are at the bottom of the sea. Let's hope this fact will discourage others from attacking our country
Afghanistan is a waste land with no strategic interest to the US, history has shown that no other power has ever been able to domesticate this nation where people live like wild goats in the mountains, drones can keep in cheek neutralize any terrorist just like in Pakistan. Bring all our troops home, too much blood and treasure has been spent on this war…
Agree Sergio. Now that Obama's regime personally eradicated the top rodent in Pakistan, why not bring them all home and station them along the southern border with Mexico. Stop those vermin from swarming into America.
Bibi The Butcher and the B Vitch
Just kidding!
This piece is meant to pretend you stupid Americans have some back bone, but the truth is . . . we're demanding from obama that he keeps at least 15,000 goyim military slaves to be ready to die for us when Bibi's gives us the go ahead to attack Iran. As it is now, we have Iran surrounded by you stupid Americans . . . and what makes you think we're going to let obama send home our stupid military slaves when we're not even close to eliminating Iran, our biggest threat and the only country who is standing up to our evil plans to rule the world?
I suggest you stupid Americans stay stupid and keep watching TV 12 hours a day.
January 9, 2013 at 9:36 am | Reply
Striker
you is going to die boooy
January 9, 2013 at 9:59 am |
Paul
LOL... clearly you know nothing about America or Americans.
January 9, 2013 at 10:07 am |
unnamed
Are you mentally unstable?
January 9, 2013 at 10:07 am |
LOLmilitary
BiBi is right, read the Talmud, read the Elders of Zion. It's all in the plan. They (the chosen ones lol) want us to believe there is hope so we don't riot in the streets.
January 9, 2013 at 10:16 am |
LOLmilitary
Oh and Bibi, we are becoming aware.
January 9, 2013 at 10:19 am |
Haha...the Afghans defeated the USSR and now they've defeated the USA.
How were we defeated?
By what means? Do you want America to turn Afghanistan into glass to claim an indisputable victory? The Taliban death toll is also 20 times as high. You Anti-American people are funny in so many ways! Move on, nothing to see here besides anti-American comments from Samir. lol
They haven't defeated anyone. There is no war. It's a long campaign of control by our leaders. When you consider only some thousand of our guys have died yet well over a million brown people have been killed over there...yeah
The reality is the US did not want to define their campaing in Afghanistan since they are not they can win. I know it is not hard to accept defeat, but if you spend your hard earned money and after decade of war you can't secure your own basis, then you have lost the war. The situation is not different in Iraq either. The Iraq government is hardly called stable or the country secure. The fact they take pics with US diplomats don't make them firends either. Saddam did that too. In both wars, the US army and people have lost the wars that was started with no objective in mind.
eom
NOthing wrong with bringing troops home. Why should we die for Israel or anyother country. Now if you want to suit up and serve endless tours go for it. Otherwise is you don't want to do the time-shut up.
The people of Afghanistan have been living in the 12th century since the 13th century; apparently quite happlily. It is their country, their future, and their choice.
"But it is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could.
This is Walter Cronkite. Good night.
"
But what about WOT (War on Terror) will we be the winner by 2014.
there will NEVER be a winner on the war on terrorism as long as a single believer in the concept that you can find paradise by killing non-believers exist. The solution. Kil em all and let god sort them out.
Would the last American leaving Afghanistan be sure to put out Karzai's lights.
That's 'light' not 'lights'
Even if we withdrew all of our troops from every country and brought them back what could they do for jobs? The truth known is that the Armed forces like war so they can keep getting paid. Otherwise the USA would have so many people here they wouldn't know what to do with.
force reduction isn't necessary. Our service men aren't supposed to be policing the world they are supposed to be here, training and ready to defend us when and iff necessary.
Maybe if we spent all that money building infrastructure and improving schools, and science training and space exploration, instead of blowing the hell out of people that never cared about us in the first place, you think we might have a few more jobs and actually advance civilization? But then we aren't really civilized, now are we? Consider we have lost more soldiers than we lost civilians on 911... Point? So we killed a quarter million in the process...
Jack, having just retired from the Navy with a combined 28 years of active/reserve service, I will tell you that nobody in the armed forces likes war. Our armed forces protect our interests around the globe in addition to defending our homeland. We have a global economy that depends on international cooperation, safe and open trade routes, and security from those who would try to deny us that. Pulling all of our forces back home would be foolish.
That would be too bad,bringing all the troops home,we might have to start manufacturing our own goods again ,maybe even start employing Americans again,maybe even end up paying decent wages as an outcome.Yep,I can see how a guy like you wouldn't want our boys safe at home patroling our borders.
The patroling our borders comment was made because we have been invaded by at least 10 million illegal invaders and all our government wants to do about it is hive them drivers licenses.
I agree that our border patrols are not working and that it is an issue. What you fail to grasp is that our economy is no longer mom and pop stores and local craftsmen. Almost everything we make, buy, or use has parts from and is manufactured across the globe. Adding more factories to manufacture goods here is a great idea, but it's not economically feasible in the near term. Isolationism, which is what you're suggesting, won't work in a global economy. We have interests across the globe, and those interests need to be protected.
...and please don't insult me with comments like "...I can see how a guy like you wouldn't want our boys safe at home patroling our borders. I've deployed and I like to be safe at home as much as everyone else I served with. This is not just about Afghanistan, it's about our service members deployed and stationed around the world. Border security is a mission not currently assigned to our armed forces. Better to beef up our current border patrol forces within the Department of Homeland Security than place the military in a position for which it is not trained (think of a squad of Marines instead of a security guard the next time you go to your bank).
You entirely missed the point I made. We got along just fine before personal greed propelled us into a world economy and your willingness to overlook how this is lowering our standards of life in America is the insulting part.You forget it is the rest of the world that needs us,not the other way around as you would have it.As far as bringing our troops home safely,you sure dont seem to believe we should but would rather have them deployed all over the world at taxpayer expense rather than the host countries paying for our protection.
Finally the voice of reason! And thank you for your service.
thats still two years away. bring them all home now......
About time! Time to focus on HOME, not lining the pockets of military contractors, using blood shed from our servicemen.
That's in two years from now...maybe. American's want our troops from that sandy hellhole now.
Screw corrupt Karzai. Get the hell out of there completely. Let them live in the 13th century for all we care.
Just kidding!
This piece is meant to pretend you stupid Americans have some back bone, but the truth is . . . we're demanding from obama that he keeps at least 15,000 goyim military slaves to be ready to die for us when Bibi's gives us the go ahead to attack Iran. As it is now, we have Iran surrounded by you stupid Americans . . . and what makes you think we're going to let obama send home our stupid military slaves when we're not even close to eliminating Iran, our biggest threat and the only country who is standing up to our evil plans to rule the world?
I suggest you stupid Americans stay stupid and keep watching TV 12 hours a day.
you is going to die boooy
LOL... clearly you know nothing about America or Americans.
Are you mentally unstable?
BiBi is right, read the Talmud, read the Elders of Zion. It's all in the plan. They (the chosen ones lol) want us to believe there is hope so we don't riot in the streets.
Oh and Bibi, we are becoming aware.
I hope Blackwater kills your family and burns your house down..That is if you even have one...
United States should be aware that, before Karzai left Afghanistan, he was meeting with Iranian officials in Kabul. Why Iranian officials at this very moment considered it necessary to visit Kabul? What was the real reason of this meeting? Why after this meeting, sensational new was spreading around the world about "zero" presence of American solider after 2014 in Afghanistan. United States officials should be conscious that sitiation in Afghanistan vary unpredictable fragile, vulnerable, volatile. Afghan people fed up from foolishness and irrational Kabul political theater. There is no distinct position and desire for implementation and fostering properly , Tokyo 's agenda .Instead under pressure of Iran and Pakistan, karzai trying to fragment those vulnerable achievement done by ISAF in his own country. Let's take a look how scary and horrendous look like this video: http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=137973286361338&set=vb.354221821263997&type=2&theater
Let Iran have Afghanistan but they gotta stop the nukes. We take Syria, and Iraq as a buffer to ensure they follow through or Israel has a straight shot. Firth fleet holds it down on the coast to ensure a smooth oil supply. I swear its written on the map.
Get us out now.
Hooray! Sooner would be even better !
I think you mean roll tide
Must be a slow day in the news room. Haven't they been talking about this for month? Draw downs and all that. We went for OBL and most of his countrymen. I'd say we killed a lot of people. No one want to be there or wants us there. Lets call a spade and spade. Whats next... Give me real news.
Yes, pull them all out now don't wait for 2014. In the end the afghan people will revert back to killing each other this is how they are uneducated an they want to stay primative.
If this happens, it's about 5 years too late.
Good. Get them the hell out of there.
People do realize we can just bomb them from the air or send in drones to kill whoever we feel like right? Drones and seal teams have done more damage then boots on the ground have done in 10 years. They are basically targeted assasinations.
God bless our Navy SEALs and all of our other service members. If anybody doesn't like what they are doing don't blame them, blame the politicians that YOU/WE voted for that gave them the orders for what they are doing.
...But ya can't call them assassinations. It needs a more American term. Precision/Tactical Strike, Special Ops, Seal Team 6, Rambo, Batman 😀
False, ground forces (infantry) have been the overwhelming police force that have prevented up to ten times the violence we've seen over the last decade. On a daily basis the "grunt" has stopped more murder than any special operations component.
Good one guys! Going by the headline I actually thought this was news and then I read "by the end of 2014". CNN, did you folks just hear this nugget of information? Hey, CNN come here, no, a little closer I don't want everyone to hear this so I don't embarrass you too much when I tell you this but, this information has been out for quite some time...sorry.
well it's about damm time. I thought Obama promised that the first time he got elected.
The Taliban are already choosing the the china pattern and drapes for the capital mansion
This is correct. China, Iran, Pakistan, and India are there and heavily involved. China wants the raw materials. The US may use China as a proxy to access these resources. Pakistan and India and busy fighting. Iran is the US next frontier. However, it is looking more a change in power in Iran rather than a war.
Who appointed the US to be the worlds police??
Screw them, pull our troops out 100%
All I saw was "U.S. may remove all troops from Afghanistan" and as I almost let off a big cheer I read, "in 2014".
Put all of our men and women in a bunch of planes and bring them home. We got the bad guy, let's get out and fix our economy!!!!! We are paying for this war against our will, it should be up to us to stop it. The United States needs to stop policing other countries and forcing "democracy" down their throats.
Pull them out now. 1 more year or 10 won't make any difference in how people in that country live. It will only cost us lives and money.
Good game, pulling from Afghanistan and sending them to Africa.
Isaiah 2:4,says,God will Judge nations and rebuke people for their wars,and end all wars beating swords to plowshares. These are swords of iron and metal,such as guns and bombs,not the Spiritual sword such as the word of God,a doubled edge sword that if you obey it,it saves you,if you disobey it,it can destroy you. It's the swords of iron and metal,guns and bombs,the unrighteous swords of wars of the flesh that kill even the innocent that God will Judge nations and rebuke people for,not the Spiritual sword,the righteous sword Jesus has,God's word to change hearts and minds and to repent of wars of guns and bombs that kill even the innocent. So Isaiah 2:4,says,God will Judge nations and rebuke people ending all wars of the flesh of the swords of guns and bombs,there were no such wars before man's fall at Eden,it was Paradise,and there will be no such wars in God's Kingdom,so such wars are not of God,they're self-righteous, and unrighteous,killing even the innocent,but the word of God,even the Word Himself,Jesus Christ goes on forever. So God is anti war regarding wars of the flesh with guns and bombs,and the Bible says in the Old and New Testament God never changes,so God is anti war now,and will be on Judgment Day as well.
"Isaiah said that god said", thats the problem with christianity, its always another person telling us what god said and not god. However, if there is a god I would hope it would be against the killing of other humans.
R u insane! Have u even read the bible? It's full of god justified war. Joshua's slaughter of every man woman and child at Jericho. The ensuing extermination of the Caaninites in Judges. The constant war with the philistines. So get off your sanctimonious bible stand and try quoting a book that u understand!
India doesn't want a peaceful and progressing Afghanistan, without a role of India in the peace process. Recall how commie USSR and its bud Hindu India massacred Afghanistan and killed 10 million civilians and made 7.5 million refugees that Pakistan had to care for and provide shelter and housing.
No,"I don't recall"
Looks like Pakistani propoganda machine at work. Natural supporters of taliban.
Get your facts right. India denied support.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=evtXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wvYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6840,1286312&dq=india+afghanistan&hl=en
Why does the news feel The need to announce our military plans? What do they gain by it? Every time they do it the blood of those that die is on thier hands.
those f$%king killers who volunteered to kill other human beings in MY name and on MY dime against MY wish are my arch enemies.
Hello:) Don't blame the service members tough guy, blame the politicians that YOU elected!
Yeah who you gonna call when you need your assets protected? You must be from the westboro baptist church loonie bin
@CHhrisINF
The Nato/US soldiers in Afghanistan made a career choice to go and fight on behalf of private interests and US hegemonic ambitions. They do not represent me nor do they provide a "service" for my country. I hope the brave Afghan resistance defeat the invaders of their country.
by 2014, the looting of all the riches underground afghanistan will be finished by the global 1%.
It's about time to get them out of there, we have been over there long enough. Let them fight their own battles, we need to recover and get rid of some of this debt and we can't do that if we're wasting money on another country.
Nobody invited us there...cowboy !!!
We now need to focus on India. The American invasion of Afghanistan brought to the forefront the irrelevance of India as a nation. With a population of over 1.2 billion people there was no value that this nation could bring to the table. Their soldiers (ragtag) 1.2 million continue hiding in the trenches scared from Talibans. A few teenage Talibans invaded the country and held it hostage for days on end showing how useless India is. It was embarrasing for the world to observe this humiliation of a nation that was being touted as a regional power.
Ha Ha!!! We need to focus on India??? Are you a lunatic? Let the Indians focus on India! This type of mentality is what will ruin America! Why don't we focus on China, Russia, Iran, India, Pakistan... Let's get the draft back and just conscript every man between the age of 16 and 50 and ship 'em all out to fight the entire world? Oh, that's a stupid idea, and so is yours...
We're not done with you stupid AMericans yet. We're going to keep you in the middle east until you're all used up.
We're going to drill you dumb animals in the butt like we do to John Travolta.
Yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Why should more people die. Lets get out of there.
Since 2001, the U.S. has given approximately $52 billion dollars in federal aid. Will that stop too?
Source: Congressional Research Service
7-5700
http://www.crs.gov
R40699
Of course not. "We don't have a spending problem."
.
We didn't have a spending problem under the previous administration either.
And had he abruptly and chaotically pulled our troops out to meet this timeline, regardless of what had been transpiring, you and the rest of you irrational Obama-haters would be taking him to task for it. So your criticism is empty.
That was directed at G_Edwards. It somehow ended up as a freestanding comment.-
My criticism is of Keith, who lied when he wrote: "And they did leave Iraq when they were supposed to."
.
Can't blame Bush for this debacle Obama and libs!!! Heh,heh!!
Not sure how you've rationalized that position. Everything that has happened since we invaded Afghanistan has led to the situation as it stands today...including the 8 years that we turned our backs on Afghanistan to raid Iraq for oil. President Obama can leave this place at any time since getting the only symbol of success out of the deal...Osama Bin Laden and dozens of operatives...not to mention more clarity with respect to our position with Pakistan, who was playing Bush like a fiddle before Obama kicked their teeth in. Get real, Hitman.
Sure we can.
Just because you can't handle the truth or don't have the IQ to understand it, doesn't change history.
Then let's blame you and your conservative minions.
I am always amazed at our capacity as americans to make mistakes together and then fail to work on solutions together. And nobody seems to even want a solution until the other side admits they were wrong. If personal relationships worked the way politics do in this country...there would be no marriages...no friendships.....probably no country...
Karzai is playing us like a fiddle, just like Nguyen Van Thieu did in Vietnam.
The only thing even keeping consideration for any troops remaining in Afghanistan is the 100 percent guarantee that Al Qaeda and the Taliban will come back out and run rampant when we leave. We've built facilities and infrastructure to support our operations that they will move into and be more equipped than they were before we got there, We need to just rig explosives on every building and pipeline that we laid down and walk away.
Why not immediately? Why the delay? What will change between now and 2014?
What will be gained by having more troops killed and wounded?
.
AFTER 2014? what kind of fraud is O bom ber peddeling now? that could be any year after 2014!
nothing short of immediate total withdrawal and compensation for reconstruction will help him to escape his conviction for war crimes. justice will be done sooner than he hopes.
Like Eddie Murhy said in Trading Places: "Get the F@#$ OUT!!!"
My fellow Americans,
Go read some books.
start with "Open Veins of Latin America" by Eduardo Galiano the Great.