This segment was disappointing, because it left too many questions unanswered. How does Gen. McChrystal perceive his mission? What are his goals? I understand from this report that he feels a need to win over the hearts and minds of the Afghan people, but what are his objectives for doing so?
I presume that the Pentagon sent Gen. McChrystal into Afghanistan to do a job, but how does the General define that job and interpret his role there? Finally, according to the General, what will it mean to win in Afghanistan? That is, how will we be able to recognize victory, once we have achieved it?
Those who worked on this report answered the question "how?", but neglected the larger question: "why?"
I saw first hand how we (the US) attempted to push our beliefs and processes on our, then enemy, now friend, in Iraq. I saw people push their beliefs and processes rather than letting the locals conduct business as they want. A democracy can take many forms and ours is but one. Let's not be so arrogant as to think our way is the only way or best way to be a democracy. In Iraq, we got ride of a tyrant dictator and tried to force our way of democracy on the people. Not right. Gen. McCrystal is spot on, guess he'll get relieved or forced into retirement.
One misconception that seems to be repeated over and over again is that Afghanistan has never been conquered. That may be true over the last 150 years or so. But one only needs to go back to the empires of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. Sure, using their methods of populace destruction and scorched earth policy would utlimately induce the population to accept us. But thats not why we are there. And I am relieved that this General does not seem to think in that fashion. I am worried though that he could get distracted by worrying about winning over the populace and ignoring the original mission at hand, to destroy or incapacitate Al Quaida/Taliban. I agree the civilians are key to that, but one must also have a grasp for our fighting men and women and the real mission that they are risking their lives for.
WOW! Is this general really going to do this? I think his job is to protect the oil fields and gas pipelines. What a waste. where is the Napom? Cluster bombs? bouncing Betty's. They worked in VetNam, they should work there. If you want to win the hearts and minds of the people, then use it. Oh, I forgot, he's been talking to BO.
It would be a tragedy for the US to abandon the Afghan people just because we are afraid of mistakes in our past (eg Vietnam). Our government should unleash Gen. McChrystal and empower his no nonsense approach and the American people should strongly compel the Pentagon and the White House fight this war to win and not just plan about how the political aspects will effect the future of elections in the US.
curran3 - Your concerns are unfounded. Obama as a puppet of the MI oligarchs doesn't have the cajones to cutoff the gravy train and corruption deeply entrenched. And "abandon the Afghan people"?? That's a (typical) arrogant stretch. An honest pole would doubtless show us the exit with out hat extended.
McChrystall is too damn smart, thus obviously over-qualified. Total 180 degrees from the mindless CIA and their drone missile civilian killing machines. Loaded by the treasury pilfering contractor Xe (aka Blackwater). Think Bay of Pigs, Chile?s Pinochet, etc.
If it's accepted that at least three generations have to pass before the 265 civilian deaths are forgotten by at least three relatives, that makes a minimum of nearly 40,000 person-years of hatred and potential martyrs (terrorists).
We're too obtuse to stop the senseless carnage. We will leave with a net gain in enmity and enemies whether now or 20 years from now. Obama and Congress are venal prostitutes purchased by the financial and MI oligarchic plutocrats. No way they are going to forfeit illicit profits and kickbacks from more than 250,000 private no-bid contractors, Halliburton, Xe (aka Blackwater), ArmorGroup (the deviants), et al on and on.
Side-bet to all takers: 2:1 we fail. Merely a matter of when (after even more obscene amounts wasted, or less - by leaving sooner. IF we leave it will only happen after the election. Dying for votes and profit - yachts for the Bahama tax-havened plutocrats).
P.S. This was 'de-selected' in the big purge. We'll see.
Training Who?
Training nationals in Iraq is successful in part because there are primarily only 4 warring factions. There can be give/take with political measures. However, in Afghanistan every village is its own tribe. There are THOUSANDS of independent warring factions with no unifying ethnicity or cohesion. Afghanistan is a mess even among the nation's leadership. Our objective (Obama's March 27 speech) can not be obtained within even 10 years if ever. In the history of the world that region has never been conquered!
McChrystal is partially correct. A surge is needed for "victory" to have a chance. But, I fear his numbers are too low, and timeline too short.
David Martin looked enamored with General McChrystal, and challenged virtually none of his assumptions.
Our greatest asset in the region are our soldiers, not the Afghan civilians. General McCrystal's strategy places greater and unwarranted risk upon our soldiers.
No more air strikes. --So when our soldiers are in a firefight and are losing the battle, or taking fire they can not suppress from a building those soldiers are now NOT ALLOWED to call in an airstrike for help.
Sharing the roads. -- US Convoys used to strategically take up the whole road so that a random car loaded with explosives or IEDs could not drive along side of the Military vehicle and blow it up. Not any more!
Vehicles. Not mentioned in the report is that our military has vehicles specially designed to withstand road bombs and the like. However, General McChrystal makes our soldiers drive tin can Hummers so that the civilians are not "intimidated."
Recently Germany blew up Taliban stolen gas tankers because they knew it ultimately meant security of their troops. McChrystal chastised their actions. Germany is right!
PLEASE...write your US representatives asking them to MAKE THE SECURITY OF OUR SOLDIERS A TOP PRIORITY!!!
What General McChrystal seems to ignore is that he needs the support of the American people as well as the Afghans. My son was killed on one of his "kinder-gentler-missions" where secrecy or or credible intelligence didn't seem to be required (Refer to the Sept 8, 2009 report by Jonathan Landay of McClatchy News Service)
Not all of the people over there can or should be trusted. What does he plan to do about villages that openly protect and support our enemy?
He can raise the flags and forget about those who've died trying to fight this war with one hand tied behind thier back, but I will not forget 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, USMC or any of his brothers who have been (or will be) hung out to dry with his new Rules of Engagement.
My sincere condolences to you and your family for the loss of your son and my everlasting thanks for your sacrifice and his. If we are, as a nation, going to send our youngest and best off to distant lands to fight, then we owe them all of the support possible for them to complete their mission.
In 8 Years, the Bush-Cheney Admin. Never Used a Surge in Afghanistan, with Patraeus, Gates & McChrystal in Control, this is just a Front, We Come in [PEACE] But we also Come in MILITARY FORCE,to Back us up. This was Done to the American Indian and you now see the Results. Sounds like another 8 Years and when this [Fails] the American Populus will Blame President Obama, when Gates,Patraeus & McChrystal will surely be the Guilty Ones. ____________
Reuters: The troops sought by McChrystal would be part of an overhaul of U.S. tactics with an emphasis on securing civilians in population centers to loosen the grip of a strengthening Taliban-led insurgency.
In a bleak war assessment prepared last month, McChrystal wrote that his mission would likely fail if he is not given reinforcements for his force, now more than [100,000 strong including about 63,000 Americans]
Defense officials said several White House meetings on strategy were scheduled for next week.
The war has intensified in recent months. A United Nations report released on Saturday said 1,500 civilians had died so far this year, with August the deadliest month and August 20 -- Afghanistan's election day -- seeing the largest number of attacks since 2001.
August and July have also been the deadliest months of the war for Western troops, who launched major advances.
Note: Obama, who has already ordered 21,000 extra troops to Afghanistan this year, has described himself as a "skeptical audience" of the case for sending more, and says he wants to be sure the strategy is correct first.
Republican critics have reacted sharply to the delay, accusing him of dithering.
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I presume that the Pentagon sent Gen. McChrystal into Afghanistan to do a job, but how does the General define that job and interpret his role there? Finally, according to the General, what will it mean to win in Afghanistan? That is, how will we be able to recognize victory, once we have achieved it?
Those who worked on this report answered the question "how?", but neglected the larger question: "why?"
Al Quaida/Taliban. I agree the civilians are key to that, but one must also have a grasp for our fighting men and women and the real mission that they are risking their lives for.
If you want to win the hearts and minds of the people, then use it. Oh, I forgot, he's been talking to BO.
P.S. - Your sponsor Pfizer is a scumbag - as well.
McChrystall is too damn smart, thus obviously over-qualified. Total 180 degrees from the mindless CIA and their drone missile civilian killing machines. Loaded by the treasury pilfering contractor Xe (aka Blackwater). Think Bay of Pigs, Chile?s Pinochet, etc.
If it's accepted that at least three generations have to pass before the 265 civilian deaths are forgotten by at least three relatives, that makes a minimum of nearly 40,000 person-years of hatred and potential martyrs (terrorists).
We're too obtuse to stop the senseless carnage. We will leave with a net gain in enmity and enemies whether now or 20 years from now. Obama and Congress are venal prostitutes purchased by the financial and MI oligarchic plutocrats. No way they are going to forfeit illicit profits and kickbacks from more than 250,000 private no-bid contractors, Halliburton, Xe (aka Blackwater), ArmorGroup (the deviants), et al on and on.
Side-bet to all takers: 2:1 we fail. Merely a matter of when (after even more obscene amounts wasted, or less - by leaving sooner. IF we leave it will only happen after the election. Dying for votes and profit - yachts for the Bahama tax-havened plutocrats).
P.S. This was 'de-selected' in the big purge. We'll see.
Training nationals in Iraq is successful in part because there are primarily only 4 warring factions. There can be give/take with political measures. However, in Afghanistan every village is its own tribe. There are THOUSANDS of independent warring factions with no unifying ethnicity or cohesion. Afghanistan is a mess even among the nation's leadership. Our objective (Obama's March 27 speech) can not be obtained within even 10 years if ever. In the history of the world that region has never been conquered!
McChrystal is partially correct. A surge is needed for "victory" to have a chance. But, I fear his numbers are too low, and timeline too short.
David Martin looked enamored with General McChrystal, and challenged virtually none of his assumptions.
Our greatest asset in the region are our soldiers, not the Afghan civilians. General McCrystal's strategy places greater and unwarranted risk upon our soldiers.
No more air strikes. --So when our soldiers are in a firefight and are losing the battle, or taking fire they can not suppress from a building those soldiers are now NOT ALLOWED to call in an airstrike for help.
Sharing the roads. -- US Convoys used to strategically take up the whole road so that a random car loaded with explosives or IEDs could not drive along side of the Military vehicle and blow it up. Not any more!
Vehicles. Not mentioned in the report is that our military has vehicles specially designed to withstand road bombs and the like. However, General McChrystal makes our soldiers drive tin can Hummers so that the civilians are not "intimidated."
Recently Germany blew up Taliban stolen gas tankers because they knew it ultimately meant security of their troops. McChrystal chastised their actions. Germany is right!
PLEASE...write your US representatives asking them to MAKE THE SECURITY OF OUR SOLDIERS A TOP PRIORITY!!!
Not all of the people over there can or should be trusted. What does he plan to do about villages that openly protect and support our enemy?
He can raise the flags and forget about those who've died trying to fight this war with one hand tied behind thier back, but I will not forget 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, USMC or any of his brothers who have been (or will be) hung out to dry with his new Rules of Engagement.
Semper Fi.
Fideli Certa Merces
____________
Reuters: The troops sought by McChrystal would be part of an overhaul of U.S. tactics with an emphasis on securing civilians in population centers to loosen the grip of a strengthening Taliban-led insurgency.
In a bleak war assessment prepared last month, McChrystal wrote that his mission would likely fail if he is not given reinforcements for his force, now more than [100,000 strong including about 63,000 Americans]
Defense officials said several White House meetings on strategy were scheduled for next week.
The war has intensified in recent months. A United Nations report released on Saturday said 1,500 civilians had died so far this year, with August the deadliest month and August 20 -- Afghanistan's election day -- seeing the largest number of attacks since 2001.
August and July have also been the deadliest months of the war for Western troops, who launched major advances.
Note: Obama, who has already ordered 21,000 extra troops to Afghanistan this year, has described himself as a "skeptical audience" of the case for sending more, and says he wants to be sure the strategy is correct first.
Republican critics have reacted sharply to the delay, accusing him of dithering.