I became angry after reading the recent Associated Press article about a father who says the death of his son (a Marine) shows the errors of the U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan.
It is time to get rid of Gen. Stanley McChrystal and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and put in people with brass somewhere other than on their hats and shoulders. They appear to be more concerned about the media flak they may take if a few Afghan citizens are killed than they are about setting a true strategic defense for our forces.
Our leadership has caused our troops to be fearful of being prosecuted if in war they may injure someone who may or may not be ready to kill them. The military leadership also claims that over time, the Afghan civilian population will become our ally and turn against the Taliban.
They are in no way fit to command if they believe that rhetoric. Trickle down does not work in the economy and it sure won’t work in war.
I was in the Korean War and witnessed leadership disasters. Look at the Vietnam fiasco, too. It appears we are starting to see the same foolish, protect-your-own-rear leadership. If we are in a war to win, and civilians are protecting or supplying the enemy, then they are fair game.
There also is the rhetoric that we must fight the Taliban to protect our country because the real terrorists will take over that country and do harm to the U.S. This is so stupid an argument that it should be laughed at. We are a strong nation with great, intelligent people, and we are capable of protecting ourselves on the home front with the right leadership.
It appears that generals love large commands and war, and they will sacrifice our troops for their place in history. Put these generals in place of the actual fighting men and let us see how the strategy works for them.
Let’s bring the troops home and then see what happens.
Hmmmm......are the Democratics flaking out, cracking up or what????
They are calling for Biden to resign.
They are calling for Obama to fire his generals that he hand-picked.
What next ----no public option -- -and the Democrats will go beserk!!!!!
Don Ellis says "Our leadership has caused our troops to be fearful of being prosecuted if in war they may injure someone who may or may not be ready to kill them."
Obama as commander in chief it the cause.
The people are against the Obama escalation for one of two reason, either they are anti-war pacifiers or they cannot support more troops in Afghanistan if Obama is commander in chief.
We have a weak administration with no stomach for defending America.
A war council of Joe Biden and General Jones.
Obama is subversive about the military and the CIA role - devastating the effectiveness of both regardless of the ultimate consequences.
Obama cannot lead with a weak spirited attitude.
The troops are not allowed to go after the enemy when they hide in buildings.
In addition to previously giving terrorist the Miranda rights, hundreds of prisoners held by the U.S. military in Afghanistan will for the first time have the right to challenge their indefinite detention and call witnesses in their defense under a new review system.
We thought it would be tough, but as long as Secretary Gate was in place through this year we could be confident that Obama will allow the conditions on the ground to be the basis of actions. The critical time would be when in about 3 months when Gate leaves and who replaces him.
No more. The Military is not running the war effort.
We are reminded of Bob Woodward in "The War Within" criticized the president for failing to fulfill expectations.
"He had not rooted out terror wherever it existed," Woodward scolded. "He had not achieved world peace. He had not attained victory in his two wars."
So while Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff want more troops what will Obama do?
First of all I am sorry for all of our soldiers who have given their life for this fiasco. Remember war was never declared with Afghanistan so we have an occupation there. The Taliban were ruling Afghanistan until we chased them out after 9/11. This is all going on for american oil companies to get a natural gas and crude oil pipelines from Turkministan through Afghanistan thru Pakistan to the Arabian Sea. If Obama goes for sending more troops he'll be sending them again and again to protect the construction of these pipelines. We should never have gone in to begin with. We should leave. Type in "Pipelines through Aghanistan" in your internet address bar. Read the articles. Inform yourselves.
The far left is shoving Obama to pull of of Afghanistan and he is looking for any reason that he thinks the American people will buy...
The reports now leaking out of the administration's deliberations on Afghanistan point to a half baked build up of troops far below the 40,000 additional troops requested by General Stanley McChrystal, and supported by the top military command in D.C. Again, President Obama is demonstrating a half hearted commitment to help seal the deal in Afghanistan with a sufficient number of military assets to effect change and lead to a real victory in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is a decision made by committee--an average of the minds of many--and consequently this will be a "no win" decision. The real conclusion is indeed how can we hold General McChrystal, and the top command responsible for results by following half hearted means to meet the difficult challenges of the Afghanistan war--we cannot!
This decision amounts to a tragic negligent commission of an act destined to place the final results of the war in Afghanistan and the lives of our military men and women in Afghanistan in extreme jeopardy.
There is no other way to interpret the administration's response to this matter than weak and inept. It is a "no win" decision aimed at placating left leaning politicians and administration officials such as National Security Advisor James Jones and Vice President Joe Biden. Ultimately, President Obama is the one who must accept the full responsibility for making a decision that will place Americans in harms way, and lead to more casualties and failure in Afghanistan. This is a shameful outcome for which the American people will suffer the results.
General Don Ellis, I'm not a real general I just play one in the Sun.
Hey Don: When the U.S. Government stops treating everybody else as an equal then we will start winning wars again. You must believe that you are superior to the enemy that you are shooting at and treat them like 2st class citizens. These is why we have not won a war since the end of World War 2 back in 1945. And as long as we act like this (MR NICE GUY) we will never win another one again. AND AMERICA'S ENEMYS KNOW THIS AND ARE JUST GOING TO WAIT US OUT!
The way to win in Afghanistan is to turn that country into glass. Just nuke the chit out of them. Like we did in Japan in 1945. Arter we nuked Japan they became civilized and became good friends of ours. We killed all the Nazis and Germany became a friend. Everybody appreciates a good ass whippin'