Over eight years after the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, it is non-controversial to call it a disaster. Al-Qaeda’s leadership is long gone and the US has no idea where they are, while Afghanistan is collapsing under the force of a growing insurgency and record violence. Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent, and soon the size of America’s occupation force will near 100,000.
Don’t tell that to CENTCOM commander General David Petraeus, however. The eternal optimist who led the Bush Administration’s train-wreck of a war in Iraq announced today in an interview from Kabul that the war has “been successful” overall.
The only problem General Petraeus sees with the Afghan War is the failure to capture bin Laden, despite “significant focus.” He insists however that other “top 20 extremist leaders” were killed, which made the war a success.
No mention was given to the ever rising death toll. No mention of the Taliban seizing control over an increasing portion of the country. No mention of the cost. The war is still all about bin Laden.
Petraeus did, however, admit that the upcoming goals of the administration “will not be easy,” though even then he was awfully vague about what those goals actually are. It seems a sure bet however that as war opposition continues to grow this endless champion of overseas debauchles will become a go-to guy for selling its continuation.
I hate to imagine what he would consider unsuccessful.
The good general obviously thinks he's doing a terrific job,
and wants to keep it, as long as possible.
And you're paying for it !
Max
As Sophocles noted some 2000 years ago – "It is the merit of a general to impart good news and to conceal the truth" – seems that the generals have always LIED!
Yes the Afghan was has its challenges and has been a rough way to go for United States forces, But I would say its a good thing to attack the extremist on their soil instead of waiting on them to attack us in the United States again. We should never give the initiative back to the terrorists. I would spend taxes all day long to keep the terrorist away from my family.
Bin Laden is alive and well living in the good old U.S. of A.. His associates , Obama, , Petraeus, McCrystal Clinton, Gates et al are doing his bidding spreading carnage throughout the World