It ends in massacres as on the link and then a tail between the legs exit spun as 'Mission Accomplished'.
http://afghancentral.blogspot.com/
I faulted Obama's stance on Afghanistan during the campaign (both primary and general). History shows that is a no-win type place and Obama's effort there will be no more successful. Maybe smarter tactically than Bush (what wouldn't be?), but success, no. Just more GI caskets... I hope he learns his lesson quickly and moves on. About the only thing that should be done in Afghanistan is destroying the heroin production. That would be good.
Posted by T2 at March 16, 2009 12:58 PMSaying that we will definately lose in Afghanistan is not correct. The Russians lost because we supplied weaponary to Taliban. British could not win because they did not have superior weaponary like we do. During those days they were fighting with guns and were evenly matched with afghans because afghans could also make guns.
Now we have sofisticated weaponary and nobody is helping Taliban. It is possible to defeat them if Pakistan does not provide them safe haven.
If Obama administration has a strtegy to split Taliban by overtures towards not so hardliners in that organization, and make Pakistan act on its promise of fighting terrorism, we have pretty good chance of winning. Remember only 20% Taliban are the hardline religious fanatics. The rest of them are joing them because of money.
Posted by suresh at March 16, 2009 01:32 PM"if Pakistan does not provide them safe haven"....well, yeah. But they have been, that's the problem. Obama is going to "make" Pakistan fight the Taliban? When is that scheduled to start?
Posted by T2 at March 16, 2009 02:41 PMIf the Greek army had any pride they would go in and finish the job that Alexander the Great started.
Posted by TIKI AL at March 16, 2009 06:20 PMWow, Suresh actually supporting our war effort...'change' has come.
Posted by peter at March 16, 2009 08:27 PMthe few days without bedwetter petey were sure nice...
Posted by headxray at March 16, 2009 09:00 PMchrist on a raft, we bomb Afghanistan killing civilians and then have the nerve to wonder why they hate us
GET OUT
You cannot have progress during war. LBJ learned that the hard way when his Great Society sank in the swamps of Vietnam.
Posted by Gay Veteran at March 17, 2009 11:48 AMIn a discussion on BBC radio the other day, a British soldier said " If you are not willing to go to war, you are handing the world to those who are willing." That sounds very noble until you apply it to a specific situation. Anyone think Afghanistan was about to take over the world? Or Iraq? (despite Mr Blair's warning about "weapons" which could be deployed in 45 minutes.
Please don't anyone dredge up the "domino" theory. That was what got America into the Vietnam thing.