What should America's role in Afghanistan be?

[myp]

With the war in Afghanistan dragging on and the nation waiting for Washington to make a decision, the debate on the war is something that is starting to come up more again. What do you think our role in Afghanistan should be at this point? Do we commit more troops and how many? How long should we willing to stay? Or should we pull out now or atleast start a pull out plan?

I find it really interesting how this issue has, in my opinion, become less partisan over the last year, to the point where both parties seem to be split on the issue. What are your thoughts?

 

[David]

With the war in Afghanistan dragging on and the nation waiting for Washington to make a decision, the debate on the war is something that is starting to come up more again. What do you think our role in Afghanistan should be at this point? Do we commit more troops and how many? How long should we willing to stay? Or should we pull out now or atleast start a pull out plan?

I find it really interesting how this issue has, in my opinion, become less partisan over the last year, to the point where both parties seem to be split on the issue. What are your thoughts?

That we tell the fools in congress to STFU and send the 40,000 that are being asked for.

 

[Dirk]

I think it should be decision time. I'm not American, it's not my business or problem. So it's up to you lot. Or, more accurately, your Government. Obviously, my views are biased (and probably quite obvious). These are your choices:

1. Get out of Afghanistan and declare it a failed state.

2. Send at least 44'000 fighting troops and 26'000 soldiers to train the Afghan Security Force, and set a date for handing over control to the Afghan legislature.

3. Dissolve the Afghan Government and run the country through an appointed colonial governer and gradually replace the soldiers with a mix of American military police and Afghan security forces.

 

[David]

I think it should be decision time. I'm not American, it's not my business or problem. So it's up to you lot. Or, more accurately, your Government. Obviously, my views are biased (and probably wuite obvious). These are your choices:

1. Get out of Afghanistan and declare it a failed state.

2. Send at least 44'000 fighting troops and 26'000 soldiers to train the Afghan Security Force, and set a date for handing over control to the Afghan legislature.

3. Dissolve the Afghan Government and run the country through an appointed colonial governer and gradually replace the soldiers with a mix of American military police and Afghan security forces.

Yay for imperialism!

 

[deanhills]

That we tell the fools in congress to STFU and send the 40,000 that are being asked for.

I agree on this one. Obviously a decision is completely overdue. Not only is the lack of decision bad for the war, but it is also bad for the morale of the Generals and the troops. No doubt the delay in a decision is political, as Obama is probably dead scared how it will affect his ratings, so is playing it in any direction he can, which right now is a low profile and no direction.

 

[Abbott Presley]

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Cunard it is established as hereinafter but not so fast for reasons unknown that as a result of the public works of Puncher and Wattmann it is established beyond all doubt that in view of the labours of Fartov and Belcher left unfinished for reasons unknown of Testew and Cunard left unfinished it is established what many deny that man in Possy of Testew and Cunard that man in Essy that man in short that man in brief in spite of the strides of alimentation and defecation is seen to waste and pine waste and pine and concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown in spite of the strides of physical culture the practice of sports such as tennis football running cycling swimming flying floating riding gliding conating camogie skating tennis of all kinds dying flying sports of all sorts autumn summer winter winter tennis of all kinds hockey of all sorts penicilline and succedanea in a word I resume and concurrently simultaneously for reasons unknown to shrink and dwindle in spite of the tennis I resume flying gliding golf over nine and eighteen holes tennis of all sorts in a word for reasons unknown in Feckham Peckham Fulham Clapham namely concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown but time will tell to shrink and dwindle I resume Fulham Clapham in a word the dead loss per head since the death of Bishop Berkeley being to the tune of one inch four ounce per head approximately by and large more or less to the nearest decimal good measure round figures stark naked in the stockinged feet in Connemara in a word for reasons unknown no matter what matter the facts are there and considering what is more much more grave that in the light of the labours lost of Steinweg and Peterman it appears what is more much more grave that in the light the light the light of the labours lost of Steinweg and Peterman that in the plains in the mountains by the seas by the rivers running water running fire the air is the same and than the earth namely the air and then the earth in the great cold the great dark the air and the earth abode of stones in the great cold alas alas in the year of their Lord six hundred and something the air the earth the sea the earth abode of stones in the great deeps the great cold on sea on land and in the air I resume for reasons unknown in spite of the tennis the facts are there but time will tell I resume alas alas on on in short in fine on on abode of stones who can doubt it I resume but not so fast I resume the skull to shrink and waste and concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown in spite of the tennis on on the beard the flames the tears the stones so blue so calm alas alas on on the skull the skull the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the tennis the labours abandoned left unfinished graver still abode of stones in a word I resume alas alas abandoned unfinished the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the tennis the skull alas the stones Cunard (mêlée, final vociferations) 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result of the labours unfinished of Testew and Cunard it is established as hereinafter but not so fast for reasons unknown that as a result of the public works of Puncher and Wattmann it is established beyond all doubt that in view of the labours of Fartov and Belcher left unfinished for reasons unknown of Testew and Cunard left unfinished it is established what many deny that man in Possy of Testew and Cunard that man in Essy that man in short that man in brief in spite of the strides of alimentation and defecation is seen to waste and pine waste and pine and concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown in spite of the strides of physical culture the practice of sports such as tennis football running cycling swimming flying floating riding gliding conating camogie skating tennis of all kinds dying flying sports of all sorts autumn summer winter winter tennis of all kinds hockey of all sorts penicilline and succedanea in a word I resume and concurrently simultaneously for reasons unknown to shrink and dwindle in spite of the tennis I resume flying gliding golf over nine and eighteen holes tennis of all sorts in a word for reasons unknown in Feckham Peckham Fulham Clapham namely concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown but time will tell to shrink and dwindle I resume Fulham Clapham in a word the dead loss per head since the death of Bishop Berkeley being to the tune of one inch four ounce per head approximately by and large more or less to the nearest decimal good measure round figures stark naked in the stockinged feet in Connemara in a word for reasons unknown no matter what matter the facts are there and considering what is more much more grave that in the light of the labours lost of Steinweg and Peterman it appears what is more much more grave that in the light the light the light of the labours lost of Steinweg and Peterman that in the plains in the mountains by the seas by the rivers running water running fire the air is the same and than the earth namely the air and then the earth in the great cold the great dark the air and the earth abode of stones in the great cold alas alas in the year of their Lord six hundred and something the air the earth the sea the earth abode of stones in the great deeps the great cold on sea on land and in the air I resume for reasons unknown in spite of the tennis the facts are there but time will tell I resume alas alas on on in short in fine on on abode of stones who can doubt it I resume but not so fast I resume the skull to shrink and waste and concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown in spite of the tennis on on the beard the flames the tears the stones so blue so calm alas alas on on the skull the skull the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the tennis the labours abandoned left unfinished graver still abode of stones in a word I resume alas alas abandoned unfinished the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the tennis the skull alas the stones Cunard (mêlée, final vociferations) tennis… the stones… so calm… Cunard… unfinished…”