Comments on: Matthew Hoh On Eikenberry: “I’m Not Surprised”

By: texasprogressive

texasprogressive — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:17:43 +0000

Our continuing occupation of Afghanistan has nothing to do with whether or not the regime is corrupt. It has nothing to do with keeping the evil Taliban from being mean to women. It has nothing to do with stopping the drug trade. It has nothing to do with preventing al Qaeda from rebuilding camps to train recruits how to swing on the monkey bars.

Our occupation there has EVERYTHING to do with regional hegemony. It has to do with maintaining influence on the steppes of southwest Asia, where oil and natural gas are VERY plentiful.

By: Teddy Partridge

Teddy Partridge — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:43:18 +0000

Remember when Petraeus’ COIN book was god? That book’s prescription would require something like 300,000 troops in Afghanistan. To what end? And with the support of which American people?

Can’t wage a war without the support of either the occupied population or the population of the occupying country. It’s time to face facts: the American people don’t want us there. Neither do the Afghans.

Declare victory. Come home.

By: Mason

Mason — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:03:54 +0000

Obama and others are probably backing Karzai as the lesser of evils, which is a bit of a coincidence since that is the way we usually elect politicians in this country.

You gotta love irony.

And heroes like Robert Greenwald, Seymour Hersh, Matthew Hoh & former General now Ambassador Eikenberry.

Methinks this is as good a time as any to pause, reflect, and realize once and for all that the lesser of two evils is not acceptable because it’s settling for evil.

By: Ann in AZ

Ann in AZ — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:59:42 +0000

Emptywheel has a fresh cross-post ready: “The Torture Question”

By: Twain

Twain — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:49:09 +0000

You are probably right but the warlords are still operating, the Taliban is going strong, the poppy crops are thriving so the worst of the 2 evils is in fine shape. I wonder what we have stopped.

By: Twain

Twain — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:46:45 +0000

Obama should have a big sign in the Oval Office with only 2 words “LYNDON JOHNSON”

By: ratfood

ratfood — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:45:50 +0000

Obama and others are probably backing Karzai as the lesser of evils, which is a bit of a coincidence since that is the way we usually elect politicians in this country.

By: texasaggie

texasaggie — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:36:28 +0000

Sending more of our soldiers to die for Karzai is plain stupid. It is one more example of not knowing history. We propped up Somoza and got Ortega. We propped up the Shah and got Khomeini. We propped up Batista and got Castro. We propped up the Venezuelan elite and got Chavez. We never learn that people don’t like being abused and when they can’t take it anymore, they replace their abuser with whomever is able to take his place. If we actually took the side of the people rather than the kleptocrats, life would be so much easier for everyone, even the kleptocrats.

DON’T SUPPORT KARZAI!!! It is that simple..

By: bobroberts

bobroberts — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:33:30 +0000

I can’t believe this is even being debated. Nobody knows what we’re doing there or how long it will take. This is beyond a travesty. This is a crime still in process. For the love of God, get out.

By: Gasman

Gasman — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:29:23 +0000

The problem with sending more troops to Afgahnistan is that unless you commit totally to that option – not just 40,000 more, but reinstitute the draft and send at least the 400,000 that McChrystal reportedly thinks will ultimately be needed – it will fail. Incremental increases in troop strength will prove no more effective in Afghanistan than it was in Viet Nam. Even with such a commitment, success in traditional terms is highly unlikely.

There really are only two options: stay or leave. If Obama opts to get us out, prolonging our exit will not improve the situation. Whichever option he chooses, he should commit to it totally and decisively.