Afghanistan Poised to Fall

evlbruce · 10-02-2012, 18:03

The make-believe peace talks in Qatar finally fold. The Taliban stands ready to sweep aside Karzai's unpopular government the moment US leaves the country in two years or so.

2000 deaths of US service personnel in Afghanistan and what did we accomplish?

PaulMason · 10-02-2012, 18:07

Just like Vietnam.

Clutch Cargo · 10-02-2012, 18:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulMason

Just like Vietnam.

Sad, but so very true

FLIPPER 348 · 10-02-2012, 18:31

We should have never let up and invaded Iraq the 2nd time.

The Machinist · 10-02-2012, 18:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by evlbruce

2000 deaths of US service personnel in Afghanistan and what did we accomplish?

Our generals and politicians got to experiment with their theories a bit more, and indulge their fantasies. Winning wasn't actually the goal. America hasn't been in the business of winning wars for sixty seven years.

Gundude · 10-02-2012, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by evlbruce

2000 deaths of US service personnel in Afghanistan and what did we accomplish?

It's hard to say without knowing what the goals were. Anybody happen to have a list of those?

wrenrj1 · 10-02-2012, 19:09

Hind site is 20/20. Back in 2001/2002 did you all feel that way? I'll say that I did. We lost focus on Afghanistan, we didn't go in an do a job, clean house, find the bad guys, and leave, but we decided to enter into nation building. We're still in that mode with the current administration.

Being retired military myself I totally support our military, but I've come to the conclusion that this is a conflict we can't resolve. Let's stop losing blood (first and foremost) and treasure for this piece of realestate.

Glock30Eric · 10-02-2012, 19:11

Ron Paul was right at first place. Obama, Romney are idiots as they want to keep going after them. Especially with Romney going after Iran over Israel.

azatrox · 10-02-2012, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glock30Eric

Ron Paul was right at first place. Obama, Romney are idiots as they want to keep going after them. Especially with Romney going after Iran over Israel.

Been drinking?

jdavionic · 10-02-2012, 20:14

"Perhaps they should not use live ammo like the Marines in Libya"

joe_rkba · 10-02-2012, 20:17

On any measures that are primarily based on how the war helps ordinary Americans -

Afghanistan was a failure.
Iraq was a failure.
And I saw a poll suggesting that a majority of Americans support war with Iran.

How ****ing dumb are we??? Oh wait, we elected a socialist, and his challenger is a fascist. Says it all.

walt cowan · 10-03-2012, 07:05

so who will now control the worlds poppy's crop?

JFrame · 10-03-2012, 07:15

As noted in the OP, clearly the Taliban is ready to step back in and fill the void.

.

Bren · 10-03-2012, 07:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by evlbruce

The make-believe peace talks in Qatar finally fold. The Taliban stands ready to sweep aside Karzai's unpopular government the moment US leaves the country in two years or so.

2000 deaths of US service personnel in Afghanistan and what did we accomplish?

So the Taliban haven't been able to accomplish anything significant in the last 11 years, and in all that time they have only managed to kill 2,000 soldiers (compare that to nearly 60,000 in Vietnam, most during a similar time-span), but now they are going to "sweep aside" the opposition?

You have no clue what's going on in Afghanistan. If the Taliban really concentrated their efforts, they couldn't even "sweep aside" the airfield in Kandahar (which they would have done already, if they had the ability). Even Kandahar is safe enough that they now conduct basic training of new ANA soldiers there.

In short, that post is ridiculous.

Bren · 10-03-2012, 08:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulMason

Just like Vietnam.

As the death-toll indiciates, the enemy in Afghanistan is pretty insignificant compared to the Chinese-backed North Vietnamese. If the only enemy in Vietnam had been the VC, you might be right. Since they weren't, you aren't even close.

PaulMason · 10-03-2012, 08:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bren

So the Taliban haven't been able to accomplish anything significant in the last 11 years, and in all that time they have only managed to kill 2,000 soldiers (compare that to nearly 60,000 in Vietnam, most during a similar time-span), but now they are going to "sweep aside" the opposition?

You have no clue what's going on in Afghanistan. If the Taliban really concentrated their efforts, they couldn't even "sweep aside" the airfield in Kandahar (which they would have done already, if they had the ability). Even Kandahar is safe enough that they now conduct basic training of new ANA soldiers there.

In short, that post is ridiculous.

I think your post might be the ridiculous one. You are talking like this is WWII - Germans Vs the USA. The Taliban don't need to take over any US installation or need the power to do so. The Taliban know when the US is going to leave, so they just wait and get their people into position.

Like in Vietnam - the Taliban is playing the long game and the US the short game. All the Taliban has to do is wait until the US leaves.

Like in Vietnam the N.V got their butt kicked in the 1968 Tet offensive but the US political will changed and was on its way out but the NV stuck it out and got the country.

MZBKA · 10-03-2012, 08:08

The war in Afghanistan was quickly won and the country was mostly stabilized.

Then some idiots decided it was a good idea to divert resources from the war on terror to invade a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. Now Iraq is an ally of Iran and after more than a decade, Afghanistan looks poised again to be a terrorist haven after we retreat.

All I can say is I hope the people who supported the War in Iraq can keep their mouths shut on foreign policy from now on.

PaulMason · 10-03-2012, 08:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by MZBKA

The war in Afghanistan was quickly won and the country was mostly stabilized.

Then some idiots decided it was a good idea to divert resources from the war on terror to invade a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. Now Iraq is an ally of Iran and after more than a decade, Afghanistan looks poised again to be a terrorist haven after we retreat.

All I can say is I hope the people who supported the War in Iraq can keep their mouths shut on foreign policy from now on.

Iran is next but, I don't think (hope) the USA will be on the ground there.

Somehow or someway the US will be in that region for awhile. There are large bases there and the Europeans are weak. They couldn't even take care of Libya without the USA's help.

FLIPPER 348 · 10-03-2012, 08:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrenrj1

Hind site is 20/20. Back in 2001/2002 did you all feel that way? I'll say that I did. .

Yep...

FLIPPER 348 · 10-03-2012, 08:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by MZBKA

The war in Afghanistan was quickly won and the country was mostly stabilized.

Then some idiots decided it was a good idea to divert resources from the war on terror to invade a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. Now Iraq is an ally of Iran and after more than a decade, Afghanistan looks poised again to be a terrorist haven after we retreat.

All I can say is I hope the people who supported the War in Iraq can keep their mouths shut on foreign policy from now on.

Best posting on GT so far this year.

happyguy · 10-03-2012, 08:35

Well, we could bomb them back into the Stone Age. Wait a minute...they ARE in the Stone Age.

Regards,
Happyguy

***series1811*** · 10-03-2012, 11:44

It's going to be Vietnam, 1975, all over again. The trick will be to actually get our last guys out before the Taliban takes back control.

coastal4974 · 10-03-2012, 13:50

You mean all those American lives were lost and ruined for nothing?

Whoda thunk it????

　

　

We need to bring them all home, we can’t win a war. American’s die for nothing.

**janice6** · 10-03-2012, 13:55

2000 will have died for nothing.

happyguy · 10-03-2012, 14:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by MZBKA

The war in Afghanistan was quickly won and the country was mostly stabilized.

Then some idiots decided it was a good idea to divert resources from the war on terror to invade a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. Now Iraq is an ally of Iran and after more than a decade, Afghanistan looks poised again to be a terrorist haven after we retreat.

All I can say is I hope the people who supported the War in Iraq can keep their mouths shut on foreign policy from now on.

OMG! I agree with MZBKA

IMO the war in Afgahnistan should have had a single goal. The extermination of the Taliban and resident AQ. Repeat as necessary. Nothing more, nothing less.

Regards,
Happyguy