If You Opposed Iraq, Just Wait Til Afghanistan

It's a bit premature perhaps as we don't know what any surge might look like in Afghanistan, but with reports that we may double troop strength in Afghanistan under Obama, it would do well to remember what we're facing there. Along with video of today's Tribal Region and more here, are many more words from a young Winston Churchill when he saw it up close as a journalist in 1897. Many argue it hasn't changed all that much, except the weapons have gotten deadlier.

Many have also assumed Afghanistan could make Iraq look like a cakewalk in the end. If we go in aggressively and begin to take casualities, as I am certain we would, it will be interesting to see how the Left reacts to Obama's War.

"Then the Mullah will raise his voice and remind them of other days when the sons of the prophet drove the infidel from the plains of India, and ruled at Delhi, as wide an Empire as the Kafir holds to-day: when the true religion strode proudly through the earth and scorned to lie hidden and neglected among the hills: when mighty princes ruled in Bagdad, and all men knew that there was one God, and Mahomet was His prophet. And the young men hearing these things will grip their Martinis, and pray to Allah, that one day He will bring some Sahib -- best prize of all -- across their line of sight at seven hundred yards so that, at least, they may strike a blow for insulted and threatened Islam."

"At a thousand yards the traveller falls wounded by the well-aimed bullet of a breech-loading rifle. His assailant, approaching, hacks him to death with the ferocity of a South-Sea Islander. The weapons of the nineteenth century are in the hands of the savages of the Stone Age."

Comments

[Fred Beloit]

Quietly awaiting the astute comments of Moe, Harpo, Worst, Totally, LOL, Spicepussy, and chris/Boob (he gone) concerning the intermingling of Obama and the horrors of war against a friendly bunch of humble worshipers.

[jharp]

"it will be interesting to see how the Left reacts to Obama's War."

Ah, I see. Now it's Obama's War. And here all this time I thought it was a NATO operation.

And even more curious to me is the wingnuts opposing a "surge".

Anyways, put me down as very reluctant to waste more treasure and more lives. And then there's Pakistan and who the hell knows how to deal with that. The best thing, and it really is a wonderful thing, is we actually have a President that is not an idiot and is willing to listen to opposing viewpoints.

[Fred Beloit]

Ah, I see. War is hunky dory now that Obama plans to wage it. All this time I thought the President[-Elect Office Manager] couldn't deploy troops without Congress's specific approval. And asking a question about the opinions of others now means one opposes the "surge" in Afghanistan. Makes sense to me.

Anywhoo, put me up as very happy to see money well spent in defense of our nation and Western values. The best thing, and it really is a stupendous thing, is that the Left is finally recognizing the need to fight this war and win.

[mark l.]

exit strategy:

defeat Al-queda in AG (and Pakistan), dismantle the opium trade, and stop the flow of foreign fighters...

even if obama moves every soldier in Iraq, straight to Afghanistan, the minmum amount of time it would take to even have a chance to address all of the above is well beyond the 8 years Obama would serve.

97 soldiers killed in Iraq since July.
164 soldiers killed in Afghanistan since July.

Worth mentioning that we have about 1/4 the troops in AG, as opposed to Iraq.

"And even more curious to me is the wingnuts opposing a "surge"."

any curiousity on why obama opposed a surge in Iraq, but is advocating one for Afghanistan?
The 'wingnut' view is not going to determine our policy, Obama's decisions will.

The difference between the two countries, Iraq and Afghnaistan, is obvious. One is a relatively poor agrarian country-

the first two wars that come to mind when evoking the term, agrarian, is the US revolutionary war and Vietnam. We did well in the first, but only under the parameter of playing defense.

[jharp]

"All this time I thought the President[-Elect Office Manager] couldn't deploy troops without Congress's specific approval."

Good one Fred. You finally got something partially right. The President[-Elect Office Manager] can't deploy troops. Even with Congressional approval.

[lonetown]

I wonder why anyone fights for this country.

It used to be "bear any burden" yada yada, but many of the people one is fighting for are not worth fighting for, in terms of shared destiny.

They would just as soon spit in a soldiers eye as praise his/her work anywhere, let alone a thankless place like Afghanistan.

Frankly, the American experiment is over and now we have to deal with clueless douchebags.

[Fred Beloit]

"...the US revolutionary war and Vietnam. We did well in the first, but only under the parameter of playing defense." We were winning in the second until the Big Media decided we were losing and the swarming Left-wing college punks and thugs won the propaganda war in the U.S. What a shame. It must not happen again.

[mark l.]

i hear you fred...

watergate gave the vc just enough breathing room. I can't blame the dems for nixon's sins, but it was winnable.

The winning scenario for vietnam still would have entailed playing defense, and the country would have been split.

[Nahanni]

How much do you want to bet that all of a sudden all the people who have been protesting the war for the last 7 years all of a sudden go very quiet?

They were never truly against any war, they were just trying to push their agenda, and now that their Obamamessiah is about to ascend to his throne they will all bow before him and be silent.

Of course I fully expect all these moonbats who have had their panties in a bunch about "Bush's war" to enlist so they can proudly fight for their Obamamessiah. After all, it is now fashionable in the fever swamp to be "patriotic" now. They do now have something to think about-Charlie Rangel has been pushing to reinstate the draft for years, now that there is a Corruptocrat congress/senate and the Obamamessiah he just might get it passed this time around. Queen Nancy isn't going to do a thing about Charlie "problems", she thinks that he is pure as the driven snow because he has a "D" behind his name. They will need to reinstate the draft, all the folks I know in the military are leaving as soon as their enlistments are up.

[mark l.]

"How much do you want to bet that all of a sudden all the people who have been protesting the war for the last 7 years all of a sudden go very quiet?"

the same press that helped carry the lib message that Iraq was unwinnable, while remaining mum on Afghanistan?

It's been stunning to watch two wars fought in the same region recieve such a wide difference of coverage. I really can't think of a single criticism that has plagued(at times, fairly) our mission in Iraq, that doesn't produce a far more bleak answer when directed at Afghanistan.