Foreign Policy Disaster

I think the biggest thing we are learning during these events is that the US needs a major shift in our foreign policy. The amount of financial aid pumping to Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, etc is simply absurd. The US embassy's are being attacked- these are NOT isolated incidents. The Ambassador in Libya was brutally murdered, yet the reaction in DC is really a "sit tight and see how it plays out" mentality. Shameful.

 

Can anyone offer me a good explanation as to why we still have troops in Afghanistan? Is President Obama holding our feet to the fire here? Is this a "you only get troops withdrawal if I am re-elected"? WHY ARE THEY STILL THERE? I demand to know what the mission is- as in, what is the end-result? The left screamed at Bush as our men and women were getting killed over there and they are STILL THERE getting killed for no reason. The green on blue combined with the blatant attacks on our embassies tell me that the enemy smells box and they are going after it. If the mission is to sit tight over there in Afghanistan and wait till the election is over so we can set the conditions to come home, I, as a Commander, would tell my men to stay on the base. No patrols, stay alert, maintain a security posture and let the Afghans kill eachother when we leave here for good. Hamid Karzai is an unappreciative piece of shit. The guy condemns the movie but says nothing about our Ambassador getting murdered. I'm disgusted.

"Can anyone offer me a good explanation as to why we still have troops in Afghanistan?"

Irish first off, thank you for your service to our country

From my POV, staying in Afghanistan is good because the second we leave, the Taliban is going to sweep back into power and reverse the decade worth of progress (if you want to call it that) we have made in that part of the world. We know what the Taliban are all about, they've shown their hostility to US interests and Western values and ideals. I mean, I don't really want to read stories about how the Taliban doused another group of young girls at school with acid to terrify other women from getting an education. If my option is US troops in that region or allowing the Taliban back into power, I'll take US troops there. Plus it really allows us to keep pressure (both psychological and military) upon Iran.

" I demand to know what the mission is- as in, what is the end-result?"

Well, see, that's the six million dollar question. Theoretically, in a best case scenario, we could find a legit strongman (not an allegedly drug addicted leader like they have now) who could rule with a heavy enough hand that he could keep the peace and tamp down Taliban influence. That'd probably be the best we could hope to happen. The other option is to sit and negotiate with the Taliban. Not a good choice really.

Ultimately though, Afghanistan is merely one battle ground in the war against fundamentalist, radical Islam. It was one of the hot beds both post and pre 9/11 due to the Taliban. But its merely one piece of the puzzle. You have to look squarely at Saudi Arabia and their funding of Wahhabist madrassas, you have to look directly at Pakistan and the ISI's influence and tightness with the Haqqanis and the fundamentalists in Waziristan, and you have to look at the Iranians and their support for Hamas and Hezbollah. All three of those (Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran) are distinct and different situations but they all have one underlying factor in similarity -- a belief in a radicalized interpretation of their religion that is inherently hostile to non (fill in the blanks -- Sunnis, Shias, Muslims, etc.) The Saudis are somewhat coming around because they realize that the radical elements in their society could potentially destabilize the House of Saud, but they have a long history of supporting Wahhabist doctrine (hell, the only reason the House of Saud was able to legitimize itself at the founding of the state of Saudi Arabia was because they allied with the Wahhabists and presented themselves as the saviors and protectors of Mecca and Medina.  

Can we get some selkooth in here to drop some more knowledge on people?

This isn't about the U.S.

Kap,

Good read- thank for the reply

I understand your POV but in regards to your first answer:

From my POV, staying in Afghanistan is good because the second we leave, the Taliban is going to sweep back into power and reverse the decade worth of progress

I agree. My problem is that the President has already laid out a withdrawal timeline. So, if it just a matter of time for the Taliban to sweep back in power, than why not just leave now and save a few hundred troops from having to leave their kids father-less? What guidance are the troops receiving? Are they currently doing anything today that will ensure this next year in combat wont allow the Taliban to take over in the future?

 

I read this morning that the US embassy in Yemen was raided today but all personnel are safe for now. This is beginning to turn into a domino effect.

Your country is beyond fucked.  You sir are a puppet.  

The whole world revolves around Guns, Oil and Drugs.

This isn't about the U.S.

Yessir.

There are still American soldiers in Afganistan because the U.S. is trying to leave with honor instead of disgrace.  Canada (a smart country) realizes the stupidity of staying in Afganistan and has already departed early. 

bad news as usual...

it seems like it was yesterday when US were supplying Afghan rebels weapons to fight the Russians in Afghanistan...I wonder who's supplying them weapons this time?

You asked what the end result is?



young men dying, for the egos of old men.

Post # 3 is exactly right. It's a political power play in Libya-bottom line. You have 2 parties trying to obtain power by rousting the radical muslims.  This will die down in 4 days. You have "radical" muslims who have guns & absolutely no education that react like 3rd graders to an idiotic movie. They're the absolute morons of the world. They'll eventually tighten all the security at the embassies & life will go on.

How can we curb our deficit if we keep spending on countries that hate us?  Our economy is shot to shreds and yet we spend billions on war and buy foreign oil when we have plenty here or gulp, in Canada.  We have enough problems with social security and Medicare.  Our military is so far flung, is it really necessary to have bases in Okinawa, S. Korea, Japan, etc.  with our nuclear capabilities, we can strike anywhere, we do not need bases like we had in the Phillipines.  The middle east is a hot bed for trouble, we got to get out, let Israel fight the Muslims.  Why do we need to get involved.  You don't see China or Russia getting stupid.  Their economies are doing well.  China owns us, if they fight with us, we tell them forget about what we owe them, like trillions.  We have enough problems at home, Chi. Teacher strike, illegal immigrants in the so. West, LA and elsewhere.

BINGO. But you forgot Gold & Power.

The US will never leave the middle east or africa, it's too resource rich. We think we live in a decent world, when the reality is our world is barbaric and covered up by hollywood like PR.

Irish08 - thank you for your services, and you seem like a smart guy, so ask yourself, if it doesn't make sense, ask why then simplify your answer into the above comment by thorpe.

The arab leaders are never enemy's, they are all strategic allies (except for Iran, but Iran has strong allies with China & Russia).

We live in a sad world, period and Obama has no power, he is a puppet leader like most presidents.

you all must realize that the entire muslim middle east permits the smallest amount of outside influence in the world, and i am not just talking about crap like hip hop or hollywood.  that whole region has translated fewer books from other countries in the last one hundred years than countries like america, spain or france translate every year.

Ron Paul for President

The big problem is that anyone in the third world that has any kind of money and power is legitimate in the eyes of the investment banks.  Check out this article:  https://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/may/31/goldman-sachs-libya-investment

I realize that 1.3 $ billion is not a huge amount in comparison to the oil revenues flowing out of Libya, but this does prove a that a relationship was present between a thug asshole and western financial institutions......and when things went south in that relationship we lined up NATO airstrikes and mobilized Qaddafi's opposition to kick his ass out of there.  1.3$ was the tip of the iceberg.

There is a good chance that it is the same situation in Afghanistan....except this time the scumbags at Goldman Sachs are laundering drug money and money from rare earth minerals for the corrupt assholes that run that sandbox. Until we step up as a nation and decide that these multinational banking conglomerates are not a positive influence on our society, and shut them the fuck down, we will continue to scratch our collective head when we look at our foreign policy.

I agree 100% that the Muslim fundamentalists smell box and are going to force the issue with the US to establish their place in the international pecking order.  Any attack on our embassies world-wide should be met with an immediate, overwhelming show of force. 

Basically, if anyone fucks with our Embassies we should kick their ass badly, and publicly.  And unfortunately this is not happening; and even worse it is not even being considered as a possible course of action.

The US better step up to the plate and begin to understand that not everyone in the world wants peace; and that the only way to deal with thugs is to kill them.  Preferably in public where the rest of the thugs are sure to see.

From the halls of Montazuma to the SHORES of TRIPOLI..

What are their names? Where do they live?

I've been working 72 hrs a week,, work and sleep. haven't watched the news for about 5 or 6 weeks and I've never been happier.. Turn off the TV and live your life.. don't buy into the propaganda the media feeds you.

Problem solved

I applaud our military personnel for their service, but do they really think they are accomplishing anything by exchanging gunfire with Muslims in their own backyard? 

Who gives a rip if the Muslims want to kill each other in the name of Allah.?  Meddling in their affairs just makes those barbarians angrier.