This morning Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen gave a pair of high profile interviews aimed primarily at defending the need to continue the increasingly unpopular and unsuccessful war in Afghanistan. His case was that the war needed to continue to prevent al-Qaeda from being able to attack the US.
At the same time, Admiral Mullen insisted that despite the ongoing war, al-Qaeda remains “very capable” of launching attacks on the United States, and that the group is “very focused” on doing so. He blamed Taliban fighters in both Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan for al-Qaeda’s continued capability.
A series of recent polls have suggested for the first time in its nearly eight-year history, most Americans are opposed to the Afghan War. This comes at a time when President Obama is continuing to escalate a war he insists is a “necessity.”
Admiral Mullen has said the war’s growing unpopularity is a matter of some concern to him, but he insists that President Obama’s orders will ensure it will continue anyhow. He also said he had no idea how much longer the war would take, but he might have a better idea in another 12-18 months. British officials have suggested the war could last “decades.”
How is alQaida capable of striking USA — Do they have magic carpets? If they are eally so capable what are they waiting for? That organization was nothing to begin with and now it is reduced to 2 men hiding in mountain with the 'capability' of issuing a tape every few months to keep our war mongers happy. It would be good if the good general would give us a chart showing the capabilities of alQaida. It would probably not match that of a single of our company. It was perhaps equivalent to a battallion (minus the tanks and heavy arms) when the war started.
Is there any known rational at all for a war in Afghanistan? Clearly, Admiral Mullins is spouting nonsense. If the plan is to build an oil pipeline through Afghanistan, the defense of any such pipeline might prove to be most problematic.
That pipeline you speak of could have even been built with the Taliban in control. As if Big Oil gives a damn about tyrants so long as it has ACCESS and it's CHEAP. I think they just didn't like the terms of the contract.
As far as AQ somehow striking the Uber-Statt, formerly known as the USA, with its multi-billion dollar "Sicherheit Ministerium" aka DHS, that is so out of whack it ranks up there with the Germans or Japanese launching an assault on our coasts. I'm beginning to wonder if its Mullah or Memorex with these guys. Maybe they've sampled so much product in those poppy fields that every AK47 looks like it deserves a million dollar response of holy thunder and every unguarded glance a quick righteous kick to the gonads. As was stated earlier if they have all this capability why wait eight years? I mean… c'mon now!