Remember when the Bush Administration announced its Afghan War escalation in late 2008? Remember when President Obama announced his first escalation in March 2009? Surely everyone remembers the massive escalation President Obama announced in December, which was supposed to set the stage for a July 2011 drawdown that’s already been disavowed.
Well, a funny thing happened roughly halfway between the announcement of the escalation and the now thoroughly irrelevant “drawdown” date. Gen. David Petraeus, the new commander in Afghanistan, is now asking for more troops.
NATO officials say that Petraeus is asking for at least 2,000 more troops. Officials say that some of them will be solicited from NATO allies, but it is widely assumed that most of the troops will come from the US.
The number is starting comparatively small, but many will remember that what eventually became over a 30,000 troop escalation in December started with talk of a much smaller “surge.” Moreover, with violence on the rise there has been talk that Marines in particular are “spread thin” in Afghanistan.
We need to draw down our troop numbers and plan to leave Afghanistan before more people get killed. We are accomplishing nothing good over there, and can't afford the price we pay. Fix our own country, get jobs moving, encourage american production & technology, rebuild our working middle class.
Perhaps we should furnish a marine for every Afghan – at least until we have depleted the ressources of the region.
Will Obomba request the money for this latest escalation before or after November? Will the Progressive Caucus pretend to oppose it this time?
Shocking, just shocking I tell you, a General who wants more troops.
I think another 1,000,000 or so should do it…
it's for love of Country……errrr…I mean love of war!
Petrayus is on a mission from the Prince of Peace himself! Kill those kids!
Why can’t we just send in the americans and politicians who want to keep this war going, then im pretty sure this war would have been won a long time ago.
Wouldn't you just love to smack that smirk right off of king david's face?
Hey – What about sending family members of White House staff and family members of our representatives in Congress and the Senate to Afghanistan?
See how soon the Music will stop.
The military feel about troops like an alcoholic about another drink.
A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum today – Caesar demanded more money and more troops! And we're in Afghanistan looking for bin Laden? If I'm not mistaken, the Pentagon, during the Bush administration, misplaced around $3 trillion and Congress rubber stamped all presidential initiatives for more blood shed to guarantee American control of Middle-Eastern gas and petrol. But Iraq isn't enough. Must have Afghanistan and, preferably, Iran, too? So Obama plays the puppet while Congress debates whether or not Social Security posses too much of a strain on the economy! What a farce. Doesn't anyone see a problem here? Congress and its corporate cronies represent a club – the public ain't in it and never will be! And all based on a snow job dating back to 9/11.
Lets end it not mend it: Fire Petraeus and bring the troops home. He is nothing but a shill for his bosses, not an honorable officer.