When Obama was elected he promised to end the US involvement in Afghanistan by 2016…..and as we approach the end of his term the confusion is as deep as ever on what the intentions are regarding Afghanistan.
President Barack Obama aims to complete by July the Afghanistan plan he will hand over to his successor in 2017, including a decision on the number of American troops to leave in the country after he leaves office, according to U.S. officials. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
As the United States braces for an especially bloody summer fighting season in Afghanistan, President Obama inched closer this week to allowing American forces to once again directly battle the Taliban, loosening restrictions on airstrikes and on ground combat in support of Afghan forces, the administration said on Friday. – New York Times
With all that said it still appears that we could be pulling the majority of our troops out and sending them home, right?
You would assume incorrectly…….
In addition to a planned increase in airstrikes, reported yesterday, the White House today confirmed plans to loosen restrictions on ground troops, particularly the special forces in occupied Afghanistan, with an eye toward increasingly their direct combat role.
Press secretary Josh Earnest says that the US troops will be “more proactive” in their operation, and while the US is still officially listing the troops engaged in the occupation as non-combat “advise and assist” troops, they will also engage in “occasional” combat operations alongside Afghan forces.
While plans had at one point been to end the occupation by now, the US has put troop withdrawals “on hold” repeatedly as the Taliban gains more territory. With the Afghan military’s losses mounting, the new US commander, Lt. Gen. John Nicholson was keen to ramp operations back up.
This is a prime example of why the American people have NO idea what is going on in the world or with our troops……if they keep the American people confused and distracted then they will lose interest and anything can be done at that point.
Getting out was just one of his many campaign promises he forgot about. We’ve been there forever, if the citizens aren’t going to learn to protect their own country by now – why are we there? To watch our boys die?
I agree….if they are going to return to the past then let them but keep an eye on the Taleban for problems…
I’m not even sure the “Government” knows exactly what is going on all over the World, I sure don’t. As for our troops, really only the Pentagon knows and like the CIA, they seem to answer to no one. ~~dru~~
All we can do is try to keep the mindset on the problems and maybe eventually someone will pay attention….chuq
…..sigh…..
Not the Irish SIGH, not the I’m so satisfied Sigh of contentment but the…i’m sooooo tired…..sigh…..! ~~dru~~
My brain never shuts down so I am tired 24/7….so I can agree with the…..sigh…..
Considering how routine it is for underlings to lie to their own bosses about what’s going on (See Snowden’s leaked documents on NSA spying) I’m sure only a tiny cabal of people have any clue what the real story is. And they sure as shit ain’t telling us!
Soooo TRUE Sedate. ~~me~~
If y’all are confused, their work is done….
“Life has been wonderfully quiet since i stopped opening my mail.” — Albert Einstein
The quote may have a word or two wrong, but, he said it, for sure….
Sounds like most of us need to quit opening our mail, of all types…. At least then we’d only have to deal with what we actually perceive around us in reality…. which is verifiable, mostly.
gigoid, the dubious
Dubi, I haven’t opened my snail mail in years or for that matter answered the phone…only collectors are contacting me. I open my emails when i’m happy and not when i’m blue…then i just stay in bed.
Chuq and often your rants are the only way i get any info as i only watch TV for reruns of Law & Order or NCIS.
Sure my comments and posts have no real content but then i have no real content…so back off!
~~dru~~
wink
Well that makes me happy that I am providing a service…..cool chuq
hee hee hee
But actually chuq, since i found your site i’m sort of paying attention to history, politics, world affairs and fun again. I’m not sure if it is the Paxil or your site and your (and their own) loonies that have helped but i seem to be back in the living again…well for the most part. So thanx to ALL of you. Of course instead of just sleeping 18 hours a day and then watching late night tv; now i am sitting at the computer all day just putering around. Depression is a hard hobby especially for one who is VERY LAZY and and an ostrich too.
At least i don’t seem to be a zoombie any more but just wait 3 weeks and i’m due for a relapse. ~~dru~~
I am so glad that you find IST helpful….it is my way of dealing with lots of pain so Thanx for your participation….chuq
Obama promised many things and did basically nothing. – – (Except vacation and go golfing of course.)
John, even Bush played more golf and took more vacations than Obama….but that does not address Afghanistan.
Afghanistan will become our trading pasrtner in a few years and all the American lives lost will be forgotten. That is the only addressing Afghanistan needs.
Corporations will always get their way….and always make their blood money….it is called capitalism….
“Afghanistan will become our trading partner in a few years and all the American lives lost will be forgotten.”
Already done! Even though that war may be decades from being over, people have ALREADY forgotten it. I mean, there’s a new Hulk Hogan sex tape to check out and lots of important cat videos to post. Gotta get in line for the new iDiot phone….so much to do.
And as for trade, the heroin is already flowin’! And that’s about all Afghans can produce and they don’t want/can’t afford anything made in America…well, other than guns.
So your prediction has already come true.
There is an answer to the opium problem…..let Pharma buy their product and make their drugs that use it….but instead we will play this damn silly game…it is called the War on Drugs”
Let me clear up the confusion: “advise and assist” troops
Not so secret code for: The troops ADVISE to KILL and they will ASSIST
So really the “advise and assist” troops should just be replaced by “ADVISE KILL and ASSIST” troops.
I believe this should CLEAR up any residual CONFUSION.
Thanx for that clarification…HA
Afghanistan is a quicksand. America is battling the same forces it created to battle the Russians in the 1980s. Full Circle.
Don’t forget Alexander had a hard time back in the BC years….UK had its problems…on and on….
well said, i had that in mind.