The US is no longer the only nation downplaying the prospect of the already decade-long Afghan War ending in 2014, as NATO’s current plans suggest. British generals are now openly saying that the commitment must continue long after that date.
Among those generals is Gen. James Bucknall, the second in command for the NATO occupation force in Afghanistan. Gen. Bucknall insisted the world needs to show “more patience” in the war, which is continuing to see record violence amid massive escalations by NATO.
Bucknall warned that if NATO actually did follow through with the commitment of ending the war by 2014 it would “embolden” the Taliban, who would wait out the occupation forces then take over after they left.
The problem, of course, is that this means 14 years into the war top commanders don’t believe the Taliban will be defeated. Since there is no expectation of that happening at some future date, it is a recipe for a permanent occupation.
When some general make demands, he should always be sacked. AT ONCE AND PUBLICLY.
If ten years is not patience, don't know what it is. We don't make friends by Killing and Capturing this is amateur military commanding. Close resemblance to shelling what's the difference with Khadaffi? The war on terror requires Intelligence war, secret service war not big blow off and show off of forces and power. If that is so, America should compare itself to an equal ennemy not Afghanistan that is been devasted by war for 30 years. Kill and Capture type of command with heavy weapons and gesticulation of the forces with night raids (shouting and busting their artillery for no reason) is feeding anger against America, who once more is viewed as arrogant with no respect for local customs and individuals. Not everyone is a Taliban, for those who see this kind of negative military exercise become an adept of the Talibans. The same thing happens with the police in America, when they deal with suspects they treat them as criminals – there is no benefit of the doubt – regardless of what they say and the magic phrase they recite.
You are a criminal who needs to prove the contrary. On the account that criminals are extremely dangerous in this country, police is given full power. Criminals are not different elsewhere yet, numerous countries protect their nationals from terrorist attacks or contribute with the UN or NATO on different battle fields, without any acclaims. These forces are professional forces, their job should be targeted, secret with the least casualties involved and no need for praise. Sadam Hussein, OBL, Khadaffi, and many other tyrants would have been eliminated without any loss of lives or deploy of unecessary forces that is costing a lot to the entire planet and feeding extremists
Cac40–Would you like to DISCRIBE Both Bushs, Clinton, Nixon, LBJ,Reagan, Truman Roosevelt, Wilson, Lincoln, Cabin Boy Obama, Blair, Thatcher,Churchill,Peres, Sharon, Goldenmare — Trying coming up with a word that is worse or meaner than Tyrants ?
By the way, what has Khadaff or Saddam or Osama done to your mother that you are so pissed at them ? Get this blockhead–Osama was a CIA agent and never ever had attacked USA on Sept 11 2001 {:^(
General Bucknall needs to get a life! What business is it of either Bucknall or Britain as to what form of government is chosen by the Afghan people. Afterall, Afghanistan did not attack Britain or the United States and certainly do not constitute a serious security threat to either country. I think Bucknall and his American counterparts like playing at war. To bomb, invade and occupy a country to kill one desparado (Osama bin Laden) is akin to bombing a string of apartments to kill a murderer that is in hiding in one of the flats. This is mad!
When I was a child, I though the Siege of Troy was crazy. Ten years? No way!
Well, the Vietnam war ran on and on and even with student rebellions against the draft, it just rolled on relentlessly until we nearly went bankrupt. The value of the dollar crashed, inflation took off and the US had to flee Saigon in disgrace.
Well, here we are, once again at the mercy of generals whose job is to get us stuck in endless wars that justify their jobs, and they can't stop. They never retreat since this means losing their cushy jobs at the Pentagon!
Yikes! That, for them, is a total rout! They dare not even win a war since this means they become redundant, too. So a slog that goes on and on and on is wonderful for job security.
Afghan commitment must continue. Yeah, the commitment to bomb, drone, shoot, slaughter, maim, destroy, rape, pillage, plunder.
When a nation has an obvious need for great displays, and heavy war, and big decisions… Does that prove them as better humans or lesser ones?
very self serving, no war, this dink is out of a job.
Whenever you hear a general calling for staying on remember that he's part of a "club" that constantly worries about being put out of business. No war = no army. No army = no industrial, think tank or civil service jobs for ex-generals.