Over eight and a half years after the initial US invasion of Afghanistan the war is arguably the longest in American history. But despite the administration’s vague pretense of an exit strategy, Pentagon officials are emphasizing just how slow things are going.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal today conceded that the occupation of the tiny farming village of Marjah remains “a struggle,” nearly four months after it began. He also openly called for a rethink of President Obama’s July 2011 “handover” timetable, meaningless though that already was, adding that the war would continue “way beyond July 2011.”
Admiral Michael Mullen also stretched the length of the upcoming Kandahar invasion, saying only that it would be “apparent” how well the offensive was going by the end of the year.
But the invasion of Kandahar, a city with nearly a million people, will be a monumentally greater challenge than the invasion of Marjah, a largely fictional town consisting of a few walls and a lot of farms. Since it is still far from apparent how the Marjah offensive has actually gone, it seems unlikely a decisive turn in Kandahar will be readily seen in any short timetable.
It is a little funny, that it is only the US generals, that can tell if the war is over – not the population for whom it is said to be made for.
Since that is obviously thought of as the most natural thing in the world, it follows that the American population simply are imperialists by tradition. A tradition is a habit lived in for generations. And they are SLOW to alter. Some cisis is needed. And happily for everybody, that can live without feeling better than other people from one's birth place (even when not chosen, but from accidence) the imperialist leaders do NOT deal with the economic crisis, but prolongs and enforces it with more of the same. When the time comes to face the population when it won't stand for more spin and lies, the rest of the world will hopefully see the troops go home to kill the old establisment there, and the bases being abandoned. for the natural use of the native populations.
Have they chosen a plot for another of those beautifully aligned crosses on green lawns for future memorial services.
Every country should have one, – our military will provide the bodies, just furnish the burial ground and water the grass.
How many bodies per star on our generals shoulders?
"The Fallen" seems to be the new magic word for dead American mercenary troops.
One is awaiting with baited breath some developed rhetorical figure on the analogy of "Support our troops", say, "We must all pay or respects to the Fallen".
The sound is so strong and Anglo-Saxon.
A recent long article about US planes full to the brim with flag-draped corpses being flown home for burial used "the Fallen" exclusively at least five times.
The English-speaking world sorrily has no Rabelais. Otherwise one might be treated to a rollicking, Bakhtinesque conceit replete with "patriotic stiffs" and "highly reverenced dead meat."
Good– glad the military has recognized this will be a long war! The first step should then be to move the Pentagon, its staff and their families to Afghanistan so they can be closer to their work. I'm sure the people of Afghanistan will readily recognize another warlike tribal village amenable to corruption and 13th. cent. thinking. I'm sure they'll all get on quite well!
Oh, What a good idea!
Is there a single general in the entire US Army who is not a butt kissing politician?
These 'genera's need to read the history of Afghanistan – NO invader ever 'wins' a war in Afghanistan.
The Pentagon is filled with idiots and morons! And all of those 'medals' our generals wear on their chests – any for valor in actual combat? – any?
Butt-kissing is practically required to become a general. I think West Point offers a course in sucking up to superior officers.
What seems to be missing from the curriculum are classes in military history, specifically with respect to Afghanistan. Graveyard of empires? They've never heard of it.
The officers also appear to lack any recognition of their oath of office, which requires that they defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. One would hard-pressed to come up with a more ill-conceived, immoral, and unconstitutional "war" than the our fight to overthrow the Taliban. The proper response to this futile invasion would be to resign one's commission. Don't see many resignations happening.
Please, keep it as long as possible! This will save us from having to have a mortgage, get our lousy kids shipped off to work accross four corners of the world, and our good for nothing old people dispatched to nirvana as soon as practical. The money is needed for the long, long, long war, anywhere far, far, far away. There are the dragons to be slayed by our exaulted princes, and the unwashed masses will cheer for them prodigiously.