U.S. Officers Killed in Afghanistan

[Billybob]

Maybe they don't want our "help", I thought we were leaving...

"US says it's steadfast in rebuilding Afghanistan"

[comments echoed arguments made by the Bush administration at the height of violence in Iraq, even as popular support for that war was waning. As in Iraq, American voters are questioning the utility of the decade-long Afghan conflict and whether a stable government there would be worth the loss in U.S. blood and treasure.]

http://news.yahoo.com/us-says-stead...BzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

 

[ignerntbend]

While I would agree with the premise, I consider myself uniquely unqualified to pass judgement on those living in daily fear of a fiery, cataclysmic demise at the hands of of people they're allegedly there to "help". YMMV

I'm not judging those kids over there.

 

[RidgeHunter]

I'm not judging those kids over there.

Yeah, I get that you're judging the people cheering them on - and I totally agree. I'm just of the belief that there is a lot of misplaced blame propagated by the government in an attempt to convince the American public there is a clean, inoffensive way to shove our military all over the world in places they're not wanted - and these are "unforeseen consequences and won't happen again". Once we clear out the brutish riff-raff, they'll love us being over there!

 

[Shadowrider]

Maybe they don't want our "help", I thought we were leaving...

"US says it's steadfast in rebuilding Afghanistan"

[comments echoed arguments made by the Bush administration at the height of violence in Iraq, even as popular support for that war was waning. As in Iraq, American voters are questioning the utility of the decade-long Afghan conflict and whether a stable government there would be worth the loss in U.S. blood and treasure.]

http://news.yahoo.com/us-says-stead...BzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

Get ready for yet another surge or a complete withdrawal. To be determined solely by which direction the political winds are blowing in about 6 months. Mark it down...

 

[DNP19]

U.S. forces are largely unarmed in so-called safe areas. A ridiculous policy in my opinion.

The daily situation our forces find themselves in is ridiculous and often sadly untenable, and is by no means the first time "friendly" or coalition forces have turned their weapons on US personnel who were training / advising / accompanying them. Afghanistan (Iraq to a much lesser degree) is completely unstable, and has been for as long as we've been there - just as it still will be when we pull out. This is just as it was for many years prior to us showing up, and is one of the reasons it was so attractive to the Taliban and al Qaeda in the case of Afghanistan. Media and official reports which attempt to portray a rosy picture of the US as "winning" (whatever that means in this kind of persistent, unconventional conflict) or rendering the country stable are simply a gross exaggeration of the ground truth. I doubt folks who've been there will disagree - that is not what I saw on my unfortunate occasions to be over there or when speaking to friends who have been as well. As for our folks being unarmed, that was absolutely not the case during my tours in Iraq or my brief visit to Afghanistan prior to my retirement (Army) a couple years ago.

Unless there has been a significant policy change, US personnel carry weapons - at least a sidearm - both on and off camp at all times, and even with it being an Afghan ministry government building I would be shocked to hear they were completely unarmed. Of course, I am sure they had zero reason to suspect they would be attacked and were completely unprepared for what occurred.

 

[RidgeHunter]

Maybe they don't want our "help", I thought we were leaving...

"US says it's steadfast in rebuilding Afghanistan"

[comments echoed arguments made by the Bush administration at the height of violence in Iraq, even as popular support for that war was waning. As in Iraq, American voters are questioning the utility of the decade-long Afghan conflict and whether a stable government there would be worth the loss in U.S. blood and treasure.]

http://news.yahoo.com/us-says-stead...BzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

It's really hard to read statements like that from the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan (formerly ambassador to...Iraq...under Bush) and not think U.S. foreign policy is crazier than any conspiracy theorist's wet dream.

 

[RidgeHunter]

And as we're typing:

Car bomb kills three at east Afghanistan airport