Fresh off of CBS releasing a new poll showing overwhelming American opposition to continuing the war in Afghanistan US General John Allen, the new commander of the occupation, rejected the prospect of the war ending any time soon.
Indeed, in an interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes, Gen. Allen disavowed the 2014 Lisbon Conference date for ending the war, saying “we’re actually going to be here for a long time” and that the troop levels beyond 2014 were yet to be decided.
Allen, who replaced Gen. Petraeus as commander of the Afghan War and became the fourth commander since President Obama took office in 2009, did not offer the usual collection of “foolproof” strategy changes designed to turn the tides in the endless conflict.
“The plan is to win,” was all Allen would offer. This either speaks to a lack of confidence in the latest strategy shift, or perhaps more likely a lack of any strategy whatsoever as the war has a momentum of its own and, with the war planned to extend through 2024, the general likely realizes there will be a dozen or more commanders that will come after him and that what he does won’t matter all that much.
Since when generals make decisions for the citizens?
I beg to differ. We are broke and we wont be there much longer even though these clowns think so.
Yep. When the checks don't clear, I suspect the troops won't be too motivated. All empires eventually collapse. Usually from indigestion from trying to eat too much.
There is only one appropriate response for Gen. Jarhead Johnny. BULLS*#T!
When the military starts dictating the foreign policy of any country, you can be sure that that democracy has ended. The military should be the servants of the people, through their governmen,t and to hear the likes of John Allen tellling Congress what will be done is a tragedy. The military leaders have to zip their lips, and soon.
Democracy in the U.S. ended a long time ago and it isn't the military that is dictating foreign policy.
U.S. foreign policy is being dictated from Jerusalem, using various channels like AIPAC and the poplar media.
The question shouldn't be how long will the U.S be occupying Afghanistan, but how long will Israel occupy the U.S? Only those who get the nod from Israel win the U.S. Presidential elections. And as we have seen countless times, the puppets placed in the White house are not there to represent the interest of the American people.
Obama controls the strings of puppets like Hamid Karzai but the question is who is pulling Obama's strings?
Democracy in America ended a long time ago. Did voting for Obama do any good? Corporate America and its military control everything, the laws, the media, every decision. Their media convinced people to elect him under the guise of "democrat." Wars are simply to send young men who'd be otherwise rioting on the street when they're out of work and hungry.
He has that beaten look that says "I hate my life…" and in reality, "…what he does won’t matter all that much…" is probably pretty much a true statement. I'm fairly confident that the CBS' 60 minutes interviewer DIDN'T ask the general what he meant by "win."
Five US combat dead in Helmand last Wednesday in 3 separate DOD releases. Forty one
US combat dead in Afghanistan in September, 2011 so far.
If history is any indication, we'll (be forced to) leave when the US empire goes broke. Who'd have thought that we'd follow in the successful footsteps of the Soviets…
Senators Coburn and Boozman arrived back from talks with General Allen and the US Ambassador. I e-mailed Boozman to ask if the Ambassador or Allen had talked about the arm twisting to stay until 2024. If not both of them should be fired. Boozman made no statement about a very important development in our occupation of Afghanistan. That extension until 2024 would cost at least $100 billion per year. Part of the ploy to allow a "Strategic Relationship" is offering to sell the Afghans jet fighters and other military equipment alongwith all those trainers. The kicker is that the Afghans don't have the money to pay that huge army of deserters, let alone all those man toys.
So by stating that the US is going to be in Afghanistan for a long time he actually admits that they have lost or are loosing the war.
Not necessarily so. This is in keeping with the Long War Doctrine. If they can beat back the Taliban resistance to Iraq levels, declaring vict'ry and staying the course with some fortifications to 'back up' the proxy government is something to be desired. If on the other hand the Afghans refuse to be governed, the cost, or the coffins, will eventually bring the curtain down.
The Afghanis aren't going to stop resisting until the occupiers are dead or gone. It's their country. They will outlast the bankrupt US.
May be so, but they have still lost the war. The war in Iraq still hasn't been won; it's still going. The perception of 'war' is quite different from 60 70 years ago when wars were fought between standing armies. Wars to-day are waged against and supported by civilian populations, that's the reason why they cannot be won. Besides, another question that crops up is will the American economy, the people, the world support these wars for ever ? We do not live in a static world but in a world that is changing constantly all the time. The same goes for 'wars' in the ME between the Palestinians and Zionism.
Pl. be kind and leave we have enough paid to amewrican hegemony. Pakistan is ruined due to america.
Naturally generals enjoy the life only soldiers die and fight and getting more money and facilities.
There is no doubt in my mind generals will present false picture to remain in afghanistan and woll not to go from paradie to hell i.e. america.
There is NO WIN in war ! Fascist amerika IS the big loser. The suffering it has caused IS bringing down the empire !
Afghanistan – for thousands of years – has well earned the reputation as 'the graveyard of soldiers and of empires' – only an arrogant and stupid American leadership would think that they can 'win' a war in Afghanistan – and – exactly what is 'winning'?
Is 'winning' in Afghnaistan – enabling Big Oil to build its proposed gas pipeline through that country?
Plato accurately predicted that a 'Republic' / Democracy would NOT last much past 200 years before it would 'evolve' into a dictatorship.
When the American 'leadersip' NO longer represents the American people – we have LOST our Republic and we are now a dictatorship.
The American people know what our leadership appears NOT to know – we are BROKE – the 'empire' is at its end.
Of course the Generals have an interest in maintaining the War, its the best way to become a multi millionaire after they leave the service, and begin thier new careers working for the likes of KBR, Haliburton, and the vast legion of contractors who are making Billions from American incursions around the World!
Notice how for the US military the idea that this might be a democratic decision by the people of this nation is just unthinkable.
Korea, Japan, and Germany seemed like such good ideas that the military would like to extend the occupations to Afghanistan, Iraq, the Horn of Africa and latterly Libya. Somebody's even making noises that a little military action might be good for what's ailing Mexico.
Some real Napoleon complexes at work.
If Obama had a pair and wasn't such a weakling he would publicly fire any general who takes it upon himself to make such declarations. Civilian leadership is what used to seperate us from banana republics where the military took over.
I didn't realize our political and foreign policy decisions were made by our unelected military leaders. Shows just how powerful the M.I.C. really is. U.S. military leaders are like generals in Latin America.
More proof that the US is a military empire.
“Oceania was at war with Eurasia; therefore Oceania had always been at war with Eurasia." George Orwell
There is no reason to doubt that once our military builds bases and ships all the drones, the foot soldiers, equipment and the Halliburton goodies to far off villlages they intend to stay – and to continue to return the body bags drapped in flags.
They don't do body count for the locals.
Oh, Yeah…. "Stay a long time" What this REALLY is….. the attempted backtrack of Pres. "0s" "We will be withdrawing troops in July…. The military and their boosters have been saying constantly how counterproductive it is, to announce you are leaving. According to their thinking, local leaders and those in power will be loath to cozy up to the infidels and their NATO occupation IF they are going to leave soon, or before they kill ALL their enemies… We all know what happens and happened to the collaborators when the occupier leaves…… Heads will ROLL… Even in civilized places like France, there was a "bloodletting"… Afghanistan is not France and when the NATO lackeys of the American Empire are driven out by force or bad currency, there will be a big party, and the collaborators will all flee to Pakistan, then New York… Remember the "boat People" fleeing Vietnam…after the embassy roof was no longer viable…. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/29/opinion/29van_e…
General Allen wants ti dispel the aforementioned image by Herbert Van Es….. Rout it is called, I believe… Yaa ..we've gots lotta time…. WTF only three billion a week, and we don't need to actually PRINT the dollars, we can, just add more zeros to all the accounts… Why this is so easy, it could go on for ever….. Alfred E. Newman… "What ME leave…??????"
"The assembly point was on Gia Long Street, opposite the Grall Hospital, where buses would pick up those wanting to leave. The evacuation was supposed to have been announced by a "secret" code on Armed Forces Radio: the comment that "the temperature is 105 degrees and rising," followed by eight bars of "White Christmas." Don't even ask what idiot dreamed this up. There were no secrets in Saigon in those days, and every Vietnamese and his dog knew the code. In the end, I think, they scrapped the idea. I certainly have no recollection of hearing it."