General Discussion

Snow Leopard

(348 posts)

83. at the beginning of the war

Mon Mar 9, 2015, 03:44 PM

Mar 2015

when many were advocating pulling out or lamenting going in, I often made the argument that for the sake of the women there we should stay.

What I wasn't bright enough to think about or articulate, was that should have been the entire strategic vision of the operation. Screw building bridges, highways, water treatment that some jihadi would just blow up.

Focus the whole effort around empowering women as the catalyst for change in that country. This would include a way of getting women and girls out of that hell hole and to some western democracy if they couldn't survive there.

Create villages/cities in Afg for families that are not stuck in the dark ages so that women and children wouldn't have to be seperated from their families. Educate, educate, educate.

This is a 15-25yr project, and while we've done some of this, we are 14yrs in now, and have spent too much on wacking moles, and the US frankly doesn't have the money (forget about political will) to essentially start this still 15-25yr project now.

I hate it, but think it is best to get out now. Maybe the 2.4 million in school will be enough to create the change needed.

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Should the US military pull out of Afghanistan or stay to protect females from the Taliban? [View all] marym625 Mar 2015 OP

What an excellent way to illustrate why President Obama's job is not so easy. If we leave NoJusticeNoPeace Mar 2015 #1

I wish people would respond. marym625 Mar 2015 #2

Obama's predicament is what this is about though, when you put him in the middle of NoJusticeNoPeace Mar 2015 #3

He has already decided. marym625 Mar 2015 #5

What exactly has he decided, remind me, timeline etc. NoJusticeNoPeace Mar 2015 #6

The time line for pulling out of Afghanistan is set. marym625 Mar 2015 #8

my bad marym625 Mar 2015 #9

It is interesting how US troop numbers are tied into whether US is still there or not JonLP24 Mar 2015 #35

+100 marym625 Mar 2015 #38

found it. marym625 Mar 2015 #26

In Afghanistan before the Russians wrecked the country and did nothing to rebuild Warpy Mar 2015 #33

Well said marym625 Mar 2015 #40

I think the Kurdish women of the PPK have an answer...... socialist_n_TN Mar 2015 #4

Do you believe that is possible for women in Afghanistan? marym625 Mar 2015 #7

Well, the Kurdish women are in the very same area of the world..... socialist_n_TN Mar 2015 #18

Great points marym625 Mar 2015 #21

The difference is that the kurdish men allow the women to have weapons Marrah_G Mar 2015 #77

People are very quick to say "We need to leave country such and such NOW!!" Lurks Often Mar 2015 #10

Thank you for your thoughts marym625 Mar 2015 #11

We have a fairly small presence in Afghanistan, even with TwilightGardener Mar 2015 #12

I never believed we should stay in Afghanistan forever Lurks Often Mar 2015 #15

This is why the US spends so much on the military The2ndWheel Mar 2015 #13

I don't like it marym625 Mar 2015 #14

The lion's share of defense spending goes to private defense contractors & this is what they do on a JonLP24 Mar 2015 #80

The old yank on the heartstrings school of warmongering, huh? TheKentuckian Mar 2015 #16

I respect that marym625 Mar 2015 #19

Yes. JackRiddler Mar 2015 #72

Yes, I agree marym625 Mar 2015 #73

We have the responsibility to get the fuck out and to stop destabilizing everything we don't like TheKentuckian Mar 2015 #74

Nothing marym625 Mar 2015 #81

No. Throd Mar 2015 #17

Thank you marym625 Mar 2015 #20

Absolutely not. Marr Mar 2015 #22

absolutely right marym625 Mar 2015 #23

The US isn't to be trusted regarding Afghanistan JonLP24 Mar 2015 #24

excellent post marym625 Mar 2015 #25

Well, if our goal and any of our actions were to protect girls and women, Jamastiene Mar 2015 #27

Good point marym625 Mar 2015 #29

men and women need protection from the taliban bastards Liberal_in_LA Mar 2015 #28

Very true marym625 Mar 2015 #31

Wow -- I never really knew too much of the Taliban but the one man standing in their way JonLP24 Mar 2015 #34

Thanks for all the information marym625 Mar 2015 #41

Thanks for appreciating what I was just recently fearing I was going overboard JonLP24 Mar 2015 #47

my favorite part of DU, learning marym625 Mar 2015 #52

That is very key point you mention JonLP24 Mar 2015 #68

The lack of shocks in the humvees marym625 Mar 2015 #70

Seems quixotic, given that they can't even protect females in the US military. bluedigger Mar 2015 #30

seriously excellent point marym625 Mar 2015 #32

Chain of command only works when the links are competent & ethical JonLP24 Mar 2015 #42

Thanks for sharing your experience, JonLP. bluedigger Mar 2015 #71

Well the 1SG had for the vast majority of time was very incompetent JonLP24 Mar 2015 #75

You definitely have more stories than I. bluedigger Mar 2015 #79

I was in Iraq, not Afghanistan Victor_c3 Mar 2015 #36

Thank you. marym625 Mar 2015 #43

Great post. dissentient Mar 2015 #45

Giving them the money directly (the women) would probably work better bemildred Mar 2015 #37

hmm. marym625 Mar 2015 #44

It's possible, it's just not rewarding to the people who make such decisions. bemildred Mar 2015 #50

I wonder if there's a charity that specifically earmarks marym625 Mar 2015 #53

There are some out there, but I'd check into them carefully. bemildred Mar 2015 #55

I don't know that government or private charities marym625 Mar 2015 #61

+1. bemildred Mar 2015 #66

The Food Depository in Chicago marym625 Mar 2015 #67

I wish it could be the United Nations doing this. Nye Bevan Mar 2015 #39

That's a really good point marym625 Mar 2015 #46

+1 treestar Mar 2015 #48

Pull out bigwillq Mar 2015 #49

yep. marym625 Mar 2015 #56

The United States BubbaFett Mar 2015 #51

nope. marym625 Mar 2015 #57

Out. Iggo Mar 2015 #54

yep. Thank you marym625 Mar 2015 #58

Pull out now! B Calm Mar 2015 #59

yep. I agree marym625 Mar 2015 #62

I think we need to pull out. elias49 Mar 2015 #60

We sure should not be trying marym625 Mar 2015 #63

Why not offer them immigration? We do for other life-endangering scenarios. randome Mar 2015 #64

interesting idea marym625 Mar 2015 #65

Nice sentiment. elias49 Mar 2015 #69

We should extend an invitation to any afghani woman who wants to emigrate to the US. Marrah_G Mar 2015 #76

Someone else suggested that as well marym625 Mar 2015 #82

Time for the reminder: Liberals urged Afghanistan intervention years before 9/11. ieoeja Mar 2015 #78

at the beginning of the war Snow Leopard Mar 2015 #83