Comments on: Afghanistan: Fighting In A "Hornet's Nest"

U.S. General Tells 60 Minutes More Soldiers And Assets Needed To Defeat Enemy

[veteranx-2009]

Afghanistan is the graveyard of Empires. Similar to Iraq, Britain helped draw national boundaries that insured ethnic rivalries that continue to this day. The Russians deployed 120,000 troops PLUS 80-100,000 Afghan soldiers, and were unable to pacify the place. The sanctuary of Al Qaeda is in PAKISTAN. But they''ve got nukes, so don''t expect any invasion there too soon.

[veteranx-2009]

Afghanistan is the graveyard of Empires. Similar to Iraq, Britain helped draw national boundaries that insured ethnic rivalries that continue to this day. The Russians deployed 120,000 troops PLUS 80-100,000 Afghan soldiers, and were unable to pacify the place. The sanctuary of Al Qaeda is in PAKISTAN. But they''ve got nukes, so don''t expect any invasion there too soon.

[claydowner]

The sad truth is the US-NATO has lost the political struggle for Afghanistan. Our soldiers have done everything asked of them and more but the Bush Administration''s failed Iraq policy also means failure in Afghanistan too. The local Afghans hate us. Taliban fighters have safe sanctuaries in Pakistan. There may have been a chance of establishing a decent government in Kabul in 2003 if we had not gone into Iraq. But now I am afraid it is too late to win over the locals politically to our side. We do not have enough soldiers on the ground nor have we ever had enough infantry to even conduct a semblance of proper security.

Afghanistan is a huge mountainous country with long supply lines on isolated poorly maintained roads. The political tide has been turning against the Afghan Karzai government and the US-NATO coalition for the last couple of years. The Taliban can recruit, train, and supply new fighters faster than we can hunt them down. The opium trade is responsible for one-half of all GDP in Afghanistan. The political situation between the US and the local tribal leaders is beyond salvaging. The British in the 19th century and the Soviet Union in the 20th century could not win in Afghanistan nor will the US in the 21st century. It is time to pack up and go home.

[a101stwife]

My husband is currently stationed over in Afghanistan with the 101st and is personal friends with the soldier (shown in the program) who was shot and medically evacuated. I found tonights program while very informative (to those who really have no idea what is going on over there), to only show a small fraction of what our soliders are really dealing on a daily basis. He has already done one tour in Iraq and was stop lossed and sent to Afghanistan. He was stationed at another base not far from FOB Wilderness that was getting attacked 5-6 times a day. Last May he lost two of his good friends after an IED blew up one of their trucks during a mission, so seeing that blown up truck was a little bit much for me personally. But none the less regardless of why our soldiers were sent there, they deserve our thanks for what the do on a daily basis.

[richrdh-2009]

I can only imagine the constant fear that grips the troops at that camp. And on top of it all, to find that your are further hampered by being at 10,000 feet in near vertical terrain.

To add more resources to this war is absurd, ridiculous, and a waste. Are we going to learn that fighting a war of this type is something that has no positive consequences? We need to follow the Soviet Union''s response years ago and get out now.

[tangouniforn]

If the terrorists never attacked us we wouldn''''t be at war with any other country, the U.S. is defending itself, innocent civilian deaths are a part of warfare I''''m afraid but it doesn''''t mean we''''re acting like terrorists.
_________________________________________________
If you do not think that the US would not attack another country without cause, you should read the Project for the New American Century. It was published in 1997 by the Neo-Cons. It spelled out how the US would attack Iraq and establish bases in Iraq form which we could project power in the region. Bush and Company have followed PNAC to the letter.

[amercanbiker]

Wow!

Thanks Bushies, because of you we''ve got two disasterous wars draining our blood and tax dollars.

[hermitdave]

WOW--what is going on with 60min? They showed a American with a real flesh wound even showed blood. Granted they showed him walking to the medical chopper. Then showed some dead terror dudes. Of course they failed to note the big question, what are we doing over there anyway? The country nor the Afghan people had anything at all to do with 9/11.

[rew1232]

My son is assigned to Forward Operating Base Wilderness and was in tonight''s broadcast for a few seconds (walking along the road talking to Laura toward the end of the segment). He is a combat engineer. Last month his platoon built a new operating base near Wilderness. One of the nearby villages asked him to use the village children for labor because the Taliban had come into the village and murdered the teachers. Make no mistake about it - these are bad guys.

[mayflor-2009]

I watched the 60 Minutes program tonight (10/19/08) and found it well produced and informative. I have a grandson with the 101st Airborne fighting with the guys shown in the program. He was recently shot and wounded, and I''m told has been given the Purple Heart. Unless you have a family member or other close relative engaged in such battles there is no way for you to understand the worry brought on by it. God bless the boys who fight to keep America safe from harm. I pray not only my grandson survives, but all others like him who fight and live with a chance of being killed in Afghanistan 24/7.

[jeffz5878]

fotoman1527, how many times are you going to congratulate lara logan?

[jeffz5878]

i can''t believe how these reporters actually go out onto the battlegrounds to report! or better yet, how the government allows these reporters to go with the combattic crews. and not to mention how easy the enemy can watch our news and learn more and more. but i guess that will never change.

[fotoman1527]

Congratulations to Lara Logan and her crew - and particularly her videographer - for the extraordinary report shown tonight on 60 Minutes concerning Afghanistan. The story was gripping, tightly edited, and had clearly been shot under dangerous conditions. As to another''s comments concerning the appropriateness of sending the attractive Ms. Logan to interview lonely soldiers, it is insulting to her as the professional she showed herself to be in filing this important, risky piece.
The story is also exhibit 1 in support of providing the military what it needs to fight the enemy. If we are putting Americans in harm''s way, we owe it to them to support them in every way so they can have the opportunity to succeed and return home safely. Well done to all!

[fotoman1527]

Congratulations to Lara Logan and her crew - and particularly her videographer - for the extraordinary report shown tonight on 60 Minutes concerning Afghanistan. The story was gripping, tightly edited, and had clearly been shot under dangerous conditions. As to another''s comments concerning the appropriateness of sending the attractive Ms. Logan to interview lonely soldiers, it is insulting to her as the professional she showed herself to be in filing this important, risky piece.
The story is also exhibit 1 in support of providing the military what it needs to fight the enemy. If we are putting Americans in harm''s way, we owe it to them to support them in every way so they can have the opportunity to succeed and return home safely. Well done to all!

[foxcnnsuck]

Thank you, CBS, for finally showing our soldiers at war in Afghanistan. The media has been ducking its responsibility in this regard. War is the ultimate obscenity. But, it was strange to view such footage and then hear the profanities uttered by the soldiers under fire bleeped out. It''s nonsensical.

[fotoman1527]

Congratulations to Lara Logan and her crew - and particularly her videographer - for the extraordinary report shown tonight on 60 Minutes concerning Afghanistan. The story was gripping, tightly edited, and had clearly been shot under dangerous conditions. As to another''s comments concerning the appropriateness of sending the attractive Ms. Logan to interview lonely soldiers, it is insulting to her as the professional she showed herself to be in filing this important, risky piece.
The story is also exhibit 1 in support of providing the military what it needs to fight the enemy. If we are putting Americans in harm''s way, we owe it to them to support them in every way so they can have the opportunity to succeed and return home safely. Well done to all!

[fotoman1527]

Congratulations to Lara Logan and her videographer for the extraordinary report shown tonight on 60 Minutes concerning Afghanistan. The story was gripping, tightly edited, and had clearly been shot under dangerous conditions. As to another''s comments concerning the appropriateness of sending the attractive Ms. Logan to interview lonely soldiers, it is insulting to her as the professional she showed herself to be in filing this important, risky piece.
The story is also exhibit 1 in support of providing the military what it needs to fight the enemy. If we are putting Americans in harm''s way, we owe it to them to support them in every way so they can have the opportunity to succeed and return home safely. Well done to all!

[jrussell476]

It was inappropriate to dispatch a blond haired buxom to the military front in Afghanistan. No matter how professional a solider is, war is a lonely and unpleasant endeavor. Her excellent reporting does not excuse the fact that her age and appearance were more distracting to the soldiers than an older woman or male would have been; especially while on patrol, when lives were at stake. Try to dismiss this as some sort of sexist rant if you like but how earnestly did you weigh the advancement opportunities of the reporter (as well as your need for a ''***'' story) with the well being of our soldiers.

[fotoman1527]

Congratulations to Lara Logan and her videographer for the extraordinary report shown tonight on 60 Minutes concerning Afghanistan. The story was gripping, tightly edited, and had clearly been shot under dangerous conditions. As to another''s comments concerning the appropriateness of sending the attractive Ms. Logan to interview lonely soldiers, it is insulting to her as the professional she showed herself to be in filing this important, risky piece.
The story is also exhibit 1 in support of providing the military what it needs to fight the enemy. If we are putting Americans in harm''s way, we owe it to them to support them in every way so they can have the opportunity to succeed and return home safely. Well done to all!

[fotoman1527]

Congratulations to Lara Logan and her videographer for the extraordinary report shown tonight on 60 Minutes concerning Afghanistan. The story was gripping, tightly edited, and had clearly been shot under dangerous conditions. As to another''s comments concerning the appropriateness of sending the attractive Ms. Logan to interview lonely soldiers, it is insulting to her as the professional she showed herself to be in filing this important, risky piece.
The story is also exhibit 1 in support of providing the military what it needs to fight the enemy. Well done to all!