General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHey! Why the f*ck are we blowing up our soldiers up in Afghanistan? Anyone got a logical reason?
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)to continue that money train than to have continuous war.
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)When it comes right down to it you are saying that the President has no control over the U.S. being in Afghanistan or that he is corrupt and has been co-opted by both the military and the corporations.
tazkcmo
(7,300 posts)Lint Head
(15,064 posts)ginning up war and creating a war footing ideology. It would be simple minded to think such a thing. But once corporate money is tied up in the war machine it's difficult to loosen the tentacles that have a stranglehold on global money. If the rug is suddenly pulled out from under them the ripple effect would impact metal manufacturing, oil, food and more. It takes money to supply feed the war machine. It must be starved slowly.
I say the hell with it all. We do not need to lose another soldier to war. But the hard fact is that we have a voluntary military and the cannon fodder, as the military "bean counters" themselves refer to the possible loss of human beings, is always available to sign up. And that is the result of the economy also. People who do not make a lot of money tend to be the ones who sign up first and that is an economic situation from which greedy corporate contractors feed.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)as commander in chief he could simply order a withdrawal.
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)The far more simple reason is that the United States had legitimate reasons for invading Afghanistan. For a variety of reasons, including a lack of understanding of the tribal role in Afghanistan and the support offered by elements within the Pakistan military, government and intelligence agency, which resulted in a safe haven in Pakistan for the insurgents, we have become bogged down there.
While it is time for the U.S. to leave, for long term political & diplomatic benefits, we need to leave on "our" terms. An unfortunate byproduct of us leaving will be the likely crackdown on women and children and others who do not follow the fundamentalist religious view of those that will probably assume power.
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)I am not talking conspiracy or cabal. I actually know, from personal experience and the deaths that have touched me personally, what I'm talking about. I also know folks, personally within government, who have shared the truth with me. We are not there on our terms.
We have a contract with Karzi and all the stipulations are not divulged because of security issues. If you think wars are ever on anyone's "terms" I think you need to think again.
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)board membership jobs after he leaves the White House, he has to feed the beast.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)Afghanistan. He won the Nobel Peace Prize. We're protecting the people of Afghanistan, particularly women. The Taliban is evil and the U.S. is good.
blah fucking blah blah defender/adorer palaver.
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)How stupid can people be to go along with this shit. If you haven't watched "Dirty Wars" ...watch it soon.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)I suggest your choice of intoxicant/pain reliever now as a preventative measure
Rex
(65,616 posts)Right now they are still foaming at the mouth over a Pittance and calling everyone (90%) of the people that replied to the Pittance as 'freepers'. Aren't they a cute bunch of 'DUers'?
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)I gotta say that our Will knows how to push buttons, he's pushed mine enough times now that I take everything he says with some sodium chloride.
Rex
(65,616 posts)Dam a pendulum blade AND rats! That's gotta suck!
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)They'd love nothing more than to take down a long-time DUer with a solid liberal reputation outside of DU. It won't work.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)An angry kneejerk reaction in good faith does not put a good liberal in league with the Teabaggers.
Rex
(65,616 posts)sometimes to the point of being an ass, but I will also agree that we have the right to our opinion and that it be expressed in a thread so that we may de-construct each others thoughts. It is what makes this place interesting after all these years and sometimes we can have a meaningful conversation as a result.
Getting mad because of blind faith in a leader, nope...that is something I will never do. I don't care what the sacred cow is of the day. Will did go overboard, I won't even pretend that is the first time - but I do agree with him that it is high time to get the hell out of Afghanistan and help the military professionals that might have come home...but are still trapped mentally in some warzone after their 10 deployment.
If war is hell, then it is the duty of Congress and the POTUS to end them as fast as possible imo.
warrant46
(2,205 posts)It will be a Fun Fest for a while It will expand the ignore feature for many
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)U.S. agencies estimate Afghanistans mineral deposits to be worth upwards of $1 trillion. In fact, a classified Pentagon memo called Afghanistan the Saudi Arabia of lithium. (Although lithium is technically not a rare earth element, it serves some of the same
...snip...
The importance of REEs to the global economy cannot be overstated. They are essential to the manufacture of a host of modern technologies, including cell phones, televisions, hybrid engines, computer components, lasers, batteries, fiber optics, and superconductors. Congressional findings have called rare earth elements critical to national security, and understandably so. REEs are key to the production of tank navigation systems, missile guidance systems, fighter jet engines, missile defense components, satellites, and military grade communications gear.
http://www.american.com/archive/2013/august/afghanistans-rare-earth-element-bonanza
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)Progressive dog
(6,917 posts)who is only asking to complain.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Which makes it a war crime, btw
Progressive dog
(6,917 posts)grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Progressive dog
(6,917 posts)grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Progressive dog
(6,917 posts)you don't appear to believe.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Progressive dog
(6,917 posts)grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Why are we in this endless war. Should be easy to answer if it's a good reason, if not, let's leave.
Progressive dog
(6,917 posts)were given a safe haven by the Taliban government of Afghanistan. Bill Clinton tried cruise missile strikes after diplomacy failed. Bush, with tremendous support from the American people and congress, acted to remove the safe haven in Afghanistan by military force.
President Obama was very plain about continuing the Afghan war in 2008. His policy was obvious by 2012 and he won again.
We are not in an endless war, the war is ending.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)I suppose we'll try to protect some of the shit we built for them, and train their army, but that's about it. I think they're more concerned with that border area. Might also be minerals--but we're not going to be there long enough to control who gets hold of that stuff. Supposedly our presence will wane to just embassy by 2017, if the current plan goes through.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)whatchamacallit
(15,558 posts)Response to grahamhgreen (Original post)
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solarhydrocan
(551 posts)Joe Biden: "The affirmative task we have now is to actually create a new world order"
Kerry on the New World Order
Backing up Globalization with Military Might
New World Order Onslaught
by Karen Talbot
Covert Action Quarterly, Issue 68, Fall 1999
http://www.globalissues.org/article/448/backing-up-globalization-with-military-might
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Octafish
(55,745 posts)When he tossed out Donald Rumsfeld's stapler and stand-up desk, not even Robert Gates got a clear answer to your question from the brass.
Response to grahamhgreen (Original post)
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Rex
(65,616 posts)They are too busy foaming at the mouth over Will Pitt. They would have to answer your question, which might make Obama look slightly bad...and you know that will never happen with the blind faithful. He can do no wrong ever and you must be Hitler to suggest otherwise!
10 deployments is obscene. The fact that we have no exit strategy to a war that was ignored for ANOTHER war, we started illegally btw, that should have never been started in the first place - makes me ill. We have no objective in Afghanistan anymore, maybe not for years now...we need to get the hell out and NOW!
I watched the Iraqi war tear apart a wonderful family of 4. But I know that doesn't matter to the blind in faith. It seems their binary ways are in full bloom.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)suddenly the cat has their collective tongue it would seem when faced with questions they can not dismiss as 'hatred for XYZ'. If you pay attention, you will notice their absence in quite a few threads about the very topics they seem to be so outraged about.
I think you and I both know why.
Orsino
(37,428 posts)And because the blood of the poor is cheap.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)frylock
(34,825 posts)one of the alleged hijackers trained here at Montgomery Field and lived maybe 20 minutes away from me. Why didn't we attack Clairemont Mesa?
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)from the base for the First Marine Expeditionary force, and where we train Marines. So you could use those recruits as well.
My BIL had as his neighbor one of these guys. They lived a few blocks from Mesa College. Wait, that is within blocks of the National Guard Armory. So the cost in gas should be minimal.
And local press could get some impressive photos. I have enough common sense NOT to go for the Pulitzer on that one.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)mothers with baby carriages? Then there was the duct tape, and the Cipro......
pansypoo53219
(20,987 posts)10 little indians in afghanistan.
LuvNewcastle
(16,855 posts)grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Last edited Fri Jan 31, 2014, 07:00 PM - Edit history (1)
LuvNewcastle
(16,855 posts)Gotcha.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)B Calm
(28,762 posts)GeorgeGist
(25,322 posts)LWolf
(46,179 posts)We're a bunch of sociopaths without a social conscience.
"We" being the term you used. In reality, those blowing up people in Afghanistan and elsewhere do so without my support or the support of many.
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)Caretha
(2,737 posts)your point. I believe you are, if I can use a worn out pun, "Right on the Money!"
I'll interpret your photos the best I can, in case others don't get it.
Pic #1 - The map depicts 2 proposed routes from the Caspian Sea (the largest oil find in the last 40 years, it is almost twice as large as Saudi Arabia's combined oil reserves). This pipeline will cut through Afghanistan and Pakistan to deliver oil to India. So many countries & oil companies have a stake in this, it's quite complicated and incredibly lucrative.
Pic #2 - This pic represents simply a "Butt Load of Money".
Remember this quote? "Bush/Big Oil: Accept our offer of "a carpet of gold or you'll get a carpet of bombs."
1000words
(7,051 posts)indepat
(20,899 posts)the right-wing's cockamamie initiatives ratified as spot on.
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)The Tali-ban did NOT attack us ...fucking evil war mongering MIC profiteers of death. Does Obama own this yet?
CFLDem
(2,083 posts)Unfortunately we've built a permanent war economy.
KG
(28,752 posts)theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$