The Other War we Never Finished

[mburbank]

Aid doctors give up on Afghanistan


KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The international relief group Médecins Sans Frontières has announced it is pulling out of Afghanistan after 24 years because of security concerns and frustrations with the U.S. military.




I think it says something that they feel less safe in Afghanistan NOW than at any point in the last 24 years.

[Cosmo Electrolux]

my brother is in Afghanistan right now.

[ArrowX]

Were still over there :(

[Ant10708]

Obviously they feel more unsafe now because they are being specfically targeted and nothing is being done to help protect them.

[Supafly345]

Like the guy with the marijuanna-themed sig said: Obviously.

[Preechr]

I guess it all depends on what you read (http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/28160.htm)...

Sure, it's the Post, but it seems the first-ever opinion poll done in Afghanistan, which looks pretty positive, is legit... if you consider legit to be not yet despised by the left.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

I think there are good reasons to be optimistic in Afghanistan. But I think there are several logistical problems facing Afghanistan-- corrupt voting procedures, attacks on female voters, an active Taliban, etc.

I think it would be naive of us to assume they're first elections will run smoothly, I mean hell, we haven't figured out the best way to do this shit, either.

But I think there's a big difference between "optimism" and reality. I think we initially failed Afghanistan, perhaps we will turn things around.....

[The_Rorschach]

For the record, our actions in Afghanistan are classified as involvement in a 'low intensity conflict.' Not a war.

I'm not trying to resort to semantics or anything, honestly, but in such instances it pays to be precise. America hasn't declared war on another world power since WW II, and that distinction is important; Both in terms of how our presence and influence in the region should be understood as well as weighing the use - or misuse - of American miltary personnel by our elated politicians in engagements which are conducted without concise goals and terminated with unclear results.

[GAsux]

It's difficult to overturn centuries of tribal rule with a sort of national govt. that all are willing to buy of on. Even during periods of relative national unity the outlaying regions of the country were still ruled by regional warlords. None are eager to cede their meager powers to former rivals.

For the record, Steven Koll's book, Ghost Wars does a great job in my opinion of providing a substantive account of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan from the start of the Soviet War to the eve of 9/11. It's a pretty broad and insightful piece.

[mburbank]

Report: Afghanistan could implode


LONDON, England (CNN) -- A British parliamentary committee has warned that Afghanistan is likely to "implode, with terrible consequences" unless more troops and resources are sent to calm the country.

The all-party Foreign Affairs Select Committee, in a report released Thursday, said warlord violence and the struggle between U.S.-led troops and insurgents continues to be a threat to security in Afghanistan.

[Ant10708]

Its a good thing France has prevented NATO troops to be sent there to help.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

France, incidentally, had a key role in the initial rebuilding process in Afghanistan, and aided (among others) the Canadians in training a national Afghani military to combat the militias (didn't work, but they at least tried). This was while we had turned our backs on Afghanistan, and were preoccupied with Iraq.

[Ant10708]

Its def our fault more then France's. We should of finished Afghanistan before even thinking about Iraq. But France denying the use of NATO troops to help secure the election isn't helping anyone especiually the afghans.

Although I did not know about France doing all that in the beginning(when major fighting was over in Afghanistan).
This fucking dumbass is now a little less dumb. Thanks Kev.