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Next U.S. commander in Afghanistan says situation is worsening

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By RICHARD LARDNER

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the security situation in the war-torn country is deteriorating and assured senators he will do a thorough review of American troop levels needed to stabilize the nation.

Hopefully his review will show that by removing all US troops and advisors from Afghanistan and letting Afghanis sort out their own problems eventually the nation will find some semblance of stability. Let the various Afghani factions decide internally how their resources (minerals and petroleum) will be shared, which pipelines can be built and whether the country should be broken up into separate states. Let Iran, Pakistan, and other bordering nations, even India and China given proximity and respective spheres of influence, have greater involvement. Bring the US and all NATO troops home and end the era of western colonization.

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He peppered his answers with phrases like “right-sized” and “right-sourced” to make sure Afghanistan didn’t devolve into the same terrorist harbor it was before the 9/11 attacks.

Right. So the US has been busy in Afghanistan and other parts of the Middle East trying to keep the region from becoming a worse terrorist harbor. Now that's working well.

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Army Lt. Gen. John W. “Mick” Nicholson, Jr., told the Senate Armed Services Committee he will have a better sense of conditions in Afghanistan within a few months if he is confirmed by the Senate.

Dear goodness god jeez. Is there ever an end of Afghanistan? Poppy?

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Let the various Afghani factions decide internally how their resources (minerals and petroleum) will be shared,

They can't. That is the problem. That is why the US is there.

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Let the various Afghani factions decide internally how their resources (minerals and petroleum) will be shared,

They can't. That is the problem. That is why the US is there.

And how's that worked? How is a problem in that part of the world a US problem? Which nations decided the US should appoint itself as the world's police state and thereby be allowed to invade Afghanistan? How many trillions of US dollars have been spent there so far? Yes, the US military-industrial-academic complex has profited financially, but the US people? (Trickled down on, perhaps.) The people of Afghanistan? The people of neighbouring states? How many people have been killed as a result of US interference? As a US taxpayer do you want to continue funding this invasion, betting the come that US corporations will get first rights to Afghanistan's resources?

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Hopefully his review will show that by removing all US troops and advisors from Afghanistan and letting Afghanis sort out their own problems eventually the nation will find some semblance of stability.

This is completely and utterly naive. Any "semblance of stability" would surely arrive on the bodies of untold thousands of civilian casualties as the country disintegrated into civil war, while the Taliban ran roughshod over the nation with little or no resistance. Ultimately, the emerging "stable" Afghanistan you envision would be little more than a puppet state for Iran.

But hey, that's their business, right? It should be of no concern to the US or anyone, really, that the faith-addled lunatics that make up the rank-and-file of the Taliban will most assuredly step right in to fill any perceived power vacuum and immediately resume a domestic campaign of terror based on some twisted reinterpretation of Sharia Law that was as shocking and horrific in 1996 as anything IS is doing today.

If Afghanis could demonstrate not only the ability but the more crucial will to create a stable Afghanistan that wouldn't become a breeding ground for terrorism, then I'm certain the US would be all too happy to walk away. But it did try to stay out of Afghanistan. And it got two huge piles of smoking ruin and death in the heart of Manhattan for its efforts.

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This is completely and utterly naive.

If you're pushing a Realpolitik agenda, I suggest you go back and read your Henry Kissinger and remember his quote: 'If the guerrillas don't lose, they win'. Do you honestly believe an external army or one supported by an external army will be able to eliminate guerrilla opposition?

And yes, I think 'that's their business', or perhaps the business of neighbouring states. The US has more than enough problems at home that should be dealt with - by the US.

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What did "W" expect? "No Exit" is a title that is already taken, and it looks like “It's deja vu all over again”. Yogi, you are the best!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

At least the Soviets knew when to call it a day in Afghanistan. Poor old USA wants to try and resurrect another lost conflict to another peasant / militia army. So in recent times that is Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Vietnam, Laos and a few others to boot. That's not the military of a Super Power, just a super embarrassment.

The real casualties are that of the US public into believing the propaganda of " War on Terror ". Terror is an action not a belief. Waste of Tax payers money to line the pockets of the Multi Nat Corps that own 90% of all US media and receive the Lions share of the Military and Reconstruction contracts. Also the likes of the majority own Bush business - Carlyle Group. They supplying military weapons to most conflicts around the world and often to all sides in a conflict. There is money to be made out of death from US many times failed foreign policy.

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As a US taxpayer do you want to continue funding this invasion, betting the come that US corporations will get first rights to Afghanistan's resources?

Yes, to the first part. No to the second.

Do you remember what happened the last time the Taliban took over Afghanistan?

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