The US peace in Afghanistan is “dead” as far as President Trump is concerned, so what comes next? Unsurprisingly, it’s more war, and indications are that Pentagon figures past and present are pushing an escalation.
Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the head of CENTCOM, said that a Taliban race to victory “is not going to happen,” while predicting that the US would step up the rate of its various military operations in Afghanistan.
Former Defense Secretary James Mattis was a bit more direct on advocating a substantial increase in US troops, saying the US cannot leave Afghanistan, and should put more “boots on the ground” now that peace is canceled.
This would be the second escalation of the Afghan War in President Trump’s first term in office. The first escalation went poorly, and the losses had been mounting so much the US was starting to get desperate for a way out. Now that they know the terms of peace, they seem to be prepared to keep engaging in an unsuccessful war for as long as they can.
But we need to confront Iran, China, and Russia (in Africa too) so many enemies so little time.
You left out Venezuela, Cuba, Syria and just about every leftist government and those on israel’s hit list. But point well taken. The good news is Bolton is gone. The bad news is there is always a Clinton or Madeline Albright or Elliott Abrams to emerge from the neocon DNA lab to replace him. Good luck world.
At no point in our campaign in Afghanistan has an achievable goal been set as a “victory” condition. The troops were infamously sent over there with no overarching strategic plans besides “defeating terrorism,” and once troops were in place, the neocons rhetorically had us by the short hairs. The good ole GWOT.
And “nation building.” Our sacred mission to straighten everybody out.
Would that we had a SM to repel every last invader at our own borders and wage war on domestic filth like AntiFa but that is beyond the understanding and capability of Bibi’s Special Assistant. The national Mrs. Jelleby Syndrome is at full throttle.
Our sacred mission should be to secure our southern border and rebuild our own crumbling infrastructure. Let’s put an end to these ridiculous non-ending wars. No wonder our national debt’s as high as it is .. we must cut back on non-essential military spending and look after our own interests. Period.
Amen.
There was a reason to be engaged around the world during the Cold War. Now it’s just ridiculous to see the US tangled in local matters around the world and passing judgment on the legitimacy of this or that government.
Gaddafi turned out to be someone whose existence was vital to the security of Europe. Saddam was the poster boy for “brutal dictator” but he was better than the chaos and killing that came after him, not only in Iraq but in Syria. But here we are trying to make a superb leader like Assad in Syria into some kind of swamp creature.
Similarly, the Iranian leadership are not quite the zealots of 1979. Not exactly my cup of tea but hardly people we should be champing at the bit to go to war with. War? Really? 100 years after the end of the mass slaughter of WWI and we’re still playing at war. All at enormous expense to us when you consider the opportunity costs of spending that massive amount of money overseas v-a-v our own security and well being here at home.
What a difference a week makes. More wool being pulled over the sheeple’s eyes. We’ve been had. There was no plan for peace. Just a big game that could get everyone on board for more war.
Mattis can burn in hell as far as I’m concerned. He should be in prison awaiting a hanging.
Mattis is not human, he is a freak and it’s life is dedicated to death, anguish, and destruction.
it might be amusing if Bolton was fired because he wanted to pull out of Afghanistan
Big surprise…not. For the generals, it’s all about making rank during wartime and increasing their chances of being hired by some major military-industrial complex corporation for their board of directors at a fat salary once they retire.
For Trump, it’s a combination of proving he’s a “tough negotiator” – which is what his base wants even over actually getting some peace – and being cowed by the Deep State who told him they need that Afghan heroin.
So much for Trump being someone who wants peace and is “reluctant” – like Obama – to start a war. He may not have started one – yet – but he sure likes to keep the current ones going. Only fools think he is some kind of restraint on the US starting a new war.
Obviously Mattis just wants to do what the rest of Wash. wants. And, that is to stretch out the war forever and keep those profits coming in for the war industry and related businesses forever also.
Hand this idiot a gun and a pair of boots and let him fulfill his own wish.
Mattis needs a boot up the seat of his baggy pants.
Boots on the ground? No, houses to the ground.