General David Petraeus has made an official policy of hyping his illusory progress in Afghanistan, pointing to a Taliban that is on the run with failing morale, and a number of routs in Kandahar Province.
But Petraeus’ forward operating commanders are, according to the New York Daily News, warning that as they have so many times in the past, the Taliban seems to be rallying, and it seems once again that the hopes of military progress are fading fast.
To make matters worse, officials are also warning that “most of the stupid Taliban are dead,” and that what is left is a more tactically savvy insurgency which is becoming harder and harder to death with. Nearly a decade of combat has apparently created a pretty battle-hardened insurgency.
Indeed, even if official claims of Taliban being “tired of fighting” are true, the Obama Administration has given them no real out, pegging most of the group as unreconcilable and therefore unwelcome during peace talks. What few insurgents they have welcomed to the negotiating table are on the margins and not really “game-changers” to get out of the fight.
In the first three days of November five US soldiers have already been reported killed in Afghanistan,
including three killed in Kandahar and one in Helmand. So all of these articles about the failure in Kandahar or the importance of the success of the surge being tested in Kandahar, and for whatever reason AntiWar will only report combat deaths as "Nato" soldiers in the Southern part of the country.
I just do not understand why you refuse to report casualties that bolster your point.
Why does the Afghan war selecrtively eliminate the "dumbest" of the Taliban when in the USA the "dumbest" seem to rise to the the top? Until Obama stifles his warmongering and lets the Afghanis attempt to determine their own future, the likes of Petaeus will continue to project a rosey result. He's military and killing people is his game. Just think, some folks think he should run fro president in the next election. Heaven help us instead of the hell to which we are quiickly decending.
Update on US combat deaths. Four more US soldiers were reported killed in Afghanistan today by the DOD.
Two in Helmand and one more in Kandahar and one in Ghanzi. That makes a total of four US soldiers in Kandahar and three in Helmand in the first five days of November. That is nine US soldiers dead in Afghanistan in five days and AntiWar has not reported one US combat death. If you refuse to report on the war and the mounting casualties just what is your reason for existence?
Now there is a New York Times story that three US soldiers were killed in Helmand on Friday by an Afghan soldier. In addition two more "coalition soldiers" were reported killed on Saturday. Maybe AntiWar will find something worth reporting finally?