it takes months to decide to send more troops to Afghanistan but then only a couple weeks to send them? Right before the holidays?

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Afghanistan-US-Surge-Troops-To-Leave-In-Three-Weeks-US-Defence-Secretary-Robert-Gates-Says/Article/200912115484844?f=rss

Seriously... what the hell? You can't let them stick around for a few more weeks with their families? You have to send them the week before Christmas? it took like four months to ok them so I'm pretty sure an extra 10 days isn't life and death. They sacrifice enough, throw the troops a bone here.

because they want to send others home,... ?

it`s a sad situation all around,...like sheep sent to the slaughter,..Mothers & fathers loosing the beloved for someone else`s war,..someone else`s greed

right now Afghanistan is snowed over and there is not much fighting

they HAVE to get there and be dug in before the spring offensive when all hell breaks loose

He did throw 'em a bone. Right after he ordered them to bend over and pick up th' soap.

Remember, Hussein don't believe in Christmas so, for him, it's just another day.

Maybe they are thinking of those men and women who have been in Afghanistan and want them to be home for Christmas. I believe they are throwing the men/women who did their service there a bone.

it's not so simple as just sending some people over there. The logistics are immense, the pre-preparation before the fighting troops arrive would surprise you... we are moving a LOT of troops over there. It's not a simple task...

so IMHO: yes, time is of the essence...

This is why we should thank and respect our soldiers... they sacrifice much to do what they do... some of it cannot be measured in dollars or time alone...

$.02

Thanks for your opinion and here's the change on you $.02.
Cha-ching!$.01
Just teasing. I think your sign-off is cute and original.

If time is so of the essence and it's so important for logistics, why wait months to make the call then? That is what is crap. You have them on standby for months on end while you think about it, but once you make the decision, THEN it becomes a big rush and a necessity to get everyone over there ASAP.

Oh, and from all reports and understanding, there isn't anyone coming home that wouldn't be coming home anyway... unless I missed something.

Whose war?

Whose greed?

well, then the question should be "why did it take so long to make the decision"... but once the decision is made, you go - you don't hang around...

Have you ever been in the service? hurry up and wait is SOP...

$.02

what sheep? Your military are sending unmanned drones because they can't handle teenagers in cargo shorts with outdated weapons and killing more civilians than the so called "enemy" which is an understatement...You're govt invaded their land what do you want them to do? ANd don't play the "using civilians as human shields" cop out.

The troops that are being sent over now were prob allready set for a rotation over there.

I heard before it takes 3 months to train before they send the troops over.

And the troops they are replacing won't be home before the holidays. The ones replacing them have to be over there first before those coming home can come home.

we send drones because we have the insight, the resources, the means and the vision that automated mechanized warfare is the future of combat...

we have mechanized drone planes, self guided munitions, autonomous ground vehicles and in serious development are ground combat units...

we do this so we can nuke and clean, nuke and clean - without having to jeopardize our troops - which are more precious to us than some electronics, explosives and guidance systems...

we do it, because we can, and because we want to. You kid yourself to feel that we are afraid of collateral damage... that's just political spin for the masses. Collateral damage is a number on a page, and is expected in modern warfare.

$.02

If we wanted them dead or were afraid of them, we would simply drop a Neutron bomb and have done with it. You are sadly deluded if you think we have anything to fear from "teenagers in cargo shorts".

Is there anything we can put something in straight with this Afghan war?

How about this.

1. I know, that the hijackers of the planes were all kinds of nationalities. Saudis, Syrians, Egyptians.

Right?

The REASON why the war happened in Afghanistan, because of the training camps were there and the leadership.

Right?

They got destroyed, area taken over, they don't exist anymore.


So just who the hell the USA fighting now, if reports say there are maybe less than 100 Al-Queada (whoever those are) in Afghanistan?


Ok, let's forget about all the BS and why the war and why not, let's concentrate on how to solve this.


Here is what I have done if I would've been Obama:

Ask this question from the military experts:

1. What do you want me to do to finish this war ASAP and get home?

How many troops do you need for that?

30, 40, 50 thousand?

What equipment do you need?

humvees, tanks, helicopters, airplanes?


I don't care if I have to send over 50,000 troops and 100 helicopters, but GET THE JOB DONE and get the hell out of there!!


///////////////////////////////////

But of course, that's not the real purpose anyway, otherwise, they would have done just that.


Sending the minimal amount of 30 thousand and never ever defining what counts as "winning the war", makes me believe that they just want to prolong the war for an indefinite time.

This is a political war rather than a war of necessity (as they all are), so get used to this kind of nonsense.

Bush dropped the ball went from Afganistan to Iraq an illegal war. It started in Afganistan and needs to end there as well. Having said that it can not go on forever. I am glad Obama said we must be out by July 2011.

I got bad news for you :

Afghan Says Army Will Need Help Until 2024
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/world/asia/09gates.html?_r=3&ref=world




Say goodbye to the plan to withdraw by 2011.