President Donald Trump

[The Feral Slasher]

And it was only a matter of time before the Orange clown decided that he HAD to have his own war. Time for another surge in Afghanistan, this is supposedly to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table...according to an official, the surge is about a desire to reverse worsening security issues, and the "start winning again".

Because war waged by foreigners in Afghanistan has ALWAYS worked out so well, right? Maybe Trump can ask his friends in Russia to tell campfire tales of the Russian successes in the mountains.

Just how many flagged draped coffins coming home will define "winning again"?

I eagerly await your non-military solution to toppling a crushing theological dictatorship. Or do you just believe that we simply shouldn't get involved with the problems of the world as a whole?

[GwynnInTheHall]

As far as Afghanistan, is it really worse for the Afghan people? This is a society that was literally being dragged back to the stone age by an oppressive Theocracy, women we're less than people, and education was scorned. Now schools are up and running, women are (at least on the surface) being treated with much more respect, and allowed to get educated. I consider that a very positive effect. Are our troops suffering over there? Yes, but that's part and parcel of being a soldier...and 33,000 troops are being called back home in October, with a schedule of the rest to follow by the end of the year.

We missed the boat way back in the 80's when we used the Mujahideen to oust the Soviets and then left them to fend for themselves once it was over. WE created the Taliban and NOW we pay for that as we have with ISIS and so many other entities that fight us today. Part of me thinks it's all part of the plan to keep the Nation afraid (got to have an enemy outside our borders) and the War machine oiled and of course to make some people shit loads of money.

So the way of life in Afghanistan today is in part, due to our half assed way of running in to save the day and then bailing afterward.

[Hornsby]

And seriously Chris, you think that we shouldn't do anything to help a country as deep in the mire as Afghanistan was? Do you think that we should just shrug our collective shoulders and say, damn, that's a shame, but it's no business of ours. I think that was the idea we had as a nation prior to WWII, and that worked out pretty well, didn't it? And frankly, I don't give a **** who does it as long as it gets done...be it communist, socialist, or capitalist. Again, realistic expectations vs. unrealistic ones

Well, first of all you need to get your posters straight, I'm Steve, AKA Hornsby, I'm the one who stayed around after the election. Chris, ELD, is the one who bailed out.

So I can't answer for ELD, but, if you read what I said at the time, I grudgingly accepted the fact that we were there to protect the gains that had been made for the Afghan people, and with the hope that those gains could be consolidated going forward.

What Trump is proposing is an increase, not a drawdown...At what point do we say, hey, it hasn't worked for the last decade, is 3,000 more troops going to make a difference? Is there another strategy that we might want to try?

I don't know where you get the figure of 33,000 troops...

The US could send an additional 3,000 troops to Afghanistan – or perhaps more – as part of a major shift away from the policy of President Donald Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama.

Senior Trump administration and military officials are reportedly recommending the expansion of the US’s military strength in the countryto aid Afghan security forces and push back against a resurgent Taliban.

The White House would have to approve the proposals, likely before the next Nato meeting on 25 May in Brussels.

There are 13,000 Nato troops currently in the country, 8,400 of which are from the US. More than 2,000 of them are involved in missions against terrorist groups Isis and al-Qaeda, but the majority are part of a mission that trains, advises and assists Afghan security forces in their fight against the Taliban insurgency.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-afghanistan-us-troops-president-considering-sending-extra-taliban-a7726901.html

[The Feral Slasher]

Well, first of all you need to get your posters straight, I'm Steve, AKA Hornsby, I'm the one who stayed around after the election. Chris, ELD, is the one who bailed out.

So I can't answer for ELD, but, if you read what I said at the time, I grudgingly accepted the fact that we were there to protect the gains that had been made for the Afghan people, and with the hope that those gains could be consolidated going forward.

What Trump is proposing is an increase, not a drawdown...At what point do we say, hey, it hasn't worked for the last decade, is 3,000 more troops going to make a difference? Is there another strategy that we might want to try?

I don't know where you get the figure of 33,000 troops...



http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a7726901.html

yeah I know, that was your response to El D. It doesn't come off so anti-intervention in Afghanistan as your new ones do...at least not to me

Edit: clearly my responses failed at communicating. I simply copied your posts from an earlier topic and replied to your recent post to show the contrast in position. Apparently I did a poor job since I think I whooshed everyone

[Hornsby]

Wonderful little bit of snarkery by the WaPo...

FBI Director James B. Comey's dismissal came after newly installed Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein made the case for it, Attorney General Jeff Sessions agreed, and President Trump ultimately made the decision, according to letters released Tuesday night.

Rosenstein's letter makes the case for Comey's ouster using a slew of newspaper quotes and op-eds from former law enforcement officials. The letter doesn't add much to the public record or suggest extensive behind-the-scenes fact-gathering; it's basically a summary anyone could have written in an afternoon — which is exactly what some skeptics are alleging.

[Redbirds Fan]

As far as Afghanistan, is it really worse for the Afghan people? This is a society that was literally being dragged back to the stone age by an oppressive Theocracy, women we're less than people, and education was scorned. Now schools are up and running, women are (at least on the surface) being treated with much more respect, and allowed to get educated. I consider that a very positive effect. Are our troops suffering over there? Yes, but that's part and parcel of being a soldier...and 33,000 troops are being called back home in October, with a schedule of the rest to follow by the end of the year.

Following orders is indeed an essential component of a soldier's duty. I don't know that suffering and dying wherever misguided leaders choose to send a soldier is, by definition, a part of the job. We have made it a part of the job, but that doesn't mean it has to be so.

[Redbirds Fan]

Wonderful little bit of snarkery by the WaPo...

I don't think you have to be very skeptical to reach that conclusion. I've seen a lot of cases of "hey, I want to fire that guy", and this isn't uncommon for the type of paperwork you see.

[The Feral Slasher]

Following orders is indeed an essential component of a soldier's duty. I don't know that suffering and dying wherever misguided leaders choose to send a soldier is, by definition, a part of the job. We have made it a part of the job, but that doesn't mean it has to be so.

Yeah , I know, that was originally Hornsby's post (during the Obama years). I just copied it

[Hornsby]

Yeah , I know, that was originally Hornsby's post (during the Obama years). I just copied it

Again, where is this a part of MY post?

[The Feral Slasher]

Again, where is this a part of MY post?

Go to "presidential campaign" thread on page 22. Post 218 and severalbi n the following pages.

[Redbirds Fan]

Some things Trump does make him look small. Others make him look petty. Some just make him look chickensh*t. An example of the latter is the way he fired Comey.

The Director was in LA on FBI business. Reportedly, there was a television in the room which displayed the news that he had been fired. People thought it was a prank for a few moments. Then an assistant found out it was not a joke.

No notice, no warning, just fired while 3,000 miles away on company business. What a chickensh*t move.

At least his former fellow agents were good enough to give him a ride back to DC.

[GwynnInTheHall]

Some things Trump does make him look small. Others make him look petty. Some just make him look chickensh*t. An example of the latter is the way he fired Comey.

The Director was in LA on FBI business. Reportedly, there was a television in the room which displayed the news that he had been fired. People thought it was a prank for a few moments. Then an assistant found out it was not a joke.

No notice, no warning, just fired while 3,000 miles away on company business. What a chickensh*t move.

At least his former fellow agents were good enough to give him a ride back to DC.

Trump has shown he's a POS.

He'll be gone soon, Nixon was actually more Subtle if you can believe it.

After that we get to the business of fixing this crooked, broken political process.

[Hornsby]

Go to "presidential campaign" thread on page 22. Post 218 and severalbi n the following pages.

That's a long way to go back...lots of things change in 5 years, but I stand by my point that being a soldier is NOT a pretty job, and they all know that. The point is to try to keep them out of danger as much as possible, but it's not always possible.

And just for clarifications sake, try to pull out the specific quote and reference who said it. It just makes whatever point you're trying to make a lot easier to follow.

[The Feral Slasher]

And just for clarifications sake, try to pull out the specific quote and reference who said it. It just makes whatever point you're trying to make a lot easier to follow.

Where's the fun in that ? Yeah, it became obvious very quickly that no one was comprehending what I was doing.

[Fresno Bob]

I still think that drones/tech is the better way for us to be fighting in Afghanistan, rather than continuing to send more and more troops.