Hey! Why the f*ck are we blowing up our soldiers up in Afghanistan? Anyone got a logical reason?

[grahamhgreen]

[Lint Head]

1. Because the corporations need to profit from military contracts and what better way

to continue that money train than to have continuous war.

[Lurks Often]

4. So the President has NO control over the military?

When it comes right down to it you are saying that the President has no control over the U.S. being in Afghanistan or that he is corrupt and has been co-opted by both the military and the corporations.

[tazkcmo]

10. Take your pick. n/t

[Lint Head]

15. All Presidents are captive to corporate global financies. Not that they're 'not' responsible for

ginning up war and creating a war footing ideology. It would be simple minded to think such a thing. But once corporate money is tied up in the war machine it's difficult to loosen the tentacles that have a stranglehold on global money. If the rug is suddenly pulled out from under them the ripple effect would impact metal manufacturing, oil, food and more. It takes money to supply feed the war machine. It must be starved slowly.

I say the hell with it all. We do not need to lose another soldier to war. But the hard fact is that we have a voluntary military and the cannon fodder, as the military "bean counters" themselves refer to the possible loss of human beings, is always available to sign up. And that is the result of the economy also. People who do not make a lot of money tend to be the ones who sign up first and that is an economic situation from which greedy corporate contractors feed.

[grahamhgreen]

35. Unfortunately it looks to me like the continued war is a crime by international standards, and

as commander in chief he could simply order a withdrawal.

A crime against peace, in international law, refers to "planning, preparation, initiation, or waging of wars of aggression, or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances, or participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the foregoing" - Nicolas Werth, Karel Bartošek, Jean-Louis Panné, Jean-Louis Margolin, Andrzej Paczkowski, Stéphane Courtois, The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression, Harvard University Press, 1999, hardcover, 858 pages, ISBN 0-674-07608-7, page 5.

[Lurks Often]

50. Ah yes, the standard "cabal of shadowy, global financiers" reasoning

The far more simple reason is that the United States had legitimate reasons for invading Afghanistan. For a variety of reasons, including a lack of understanding of the tribal role in Afghanistan and the support offered by elements within the Pakistan military, government and intelligence agency, which resulted in a safe haven in Pakistan for the insurgents, we have become bogged down there.

While it is time for the U.S. to leave, for long term political & diplomatic benefits, we need to leave on "our" terms. An unfortunate byproduct of us leaving will be the likely crackdown on women and children and others who do not follow the fundamentalist religious view of those that will probably assume power.

[Lint Head]

56. In and out would be the correct "simple" plan. But things are not that simple and

I am not talking conspiracy or cabal. I actually know, from personal experience and the deaths that have touched me personally, what I'm talking about. I also know folks, personally within government, who have shared the truth with me. We are not there on our terms.
We have a contract with Karzi and all the stipulations are not divulged because of security issues. If you think wars are ever on anyone's "terms" I think you need to think again.

[Kelvin Mace]

55. If Obama expects those lucrative

board membership jobs after he leaves the White House, he has to feed the beast.

[Scuba]

2. KBR profiteering.

[cali]

3. How dare you! President Obama has ended the Iraq War and is ending the War in

Afghanistan. He won the Nobel Peace Prize. We're protecting the people of Afghanistan, particularly women. The Taliban is evil and the U.S. is good.

blah fucking blah blah defender/adorer palaver.

[L0oniX]

62. but ...but ...but ...the Taliban attacked us on 911.

How stupid can people be to go along with this shit. If you haven't watched "Dirty Wars" ...watch it soon.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Flag waving PR for the politicians.

[Fumesucker]

6. The claque will be here shortly to explain

I suggest your choice of intoxicant/pain reliever now as a preventative measure

[Rex]

19. They are busy like vultures on a corpse.

Right now they are still foaming at the mouth over a Pittance and calling everyone (90%) of the people that replied to the Pittance as 'freepers'. Aren't they a cute bunch of 'DUers'?

[Fumesucker]

20. The Pitt and the Pendulum

I gotta say that our Will knows how to push buttons, he's pushed mine enough times now that I take everything he says with some sodium chloride.

[Rex]

21. I think his writting skills might make a few here jelly.

Dam a pendulum blade AND rats! That's gotta suck!

[DisgustipatedinCA]

27. I don't actually agree with Will on this one, but the pack of jackals attacking him is inexcusable.

They'd love nothing more than to take down a long-time DUer with a solid liberal reputation outside of DU. It won't work.

[NuclearDem]

30. +1

An angry kneejerk reaction in good faith does not put a good liberal in league with the Teabaggers.

[Rex]

47. I've disagreed over the years with you and Will and several longtime posters

sometimes to the point of being an ass, but I will also agree that we have the right to our opinion and that it be expressed in a thread so that we may de-construct each others thoughts. It is what makes this place interesting after all these years and sometimes we can have a meaningful conversation as a result.

Getting mad because of blind faith in a leader, nope...that is something I will never do. I don't care what the sacred cow is of the day. Will did go overboard, I won't even pretend that is the first time - but I do agree with him that it is high time to get the hell out of Afghanistan and help the military professionals that might have come home...but are still trapped mentally in some warzone after their 10 deployment.

If war is hell, then it is the duty of Congress and the POTUS to end them as fast as possible imo.

[warrant46]

32. Yes there are a number of them

It will be a Fun Fest for a while It will expand the ignore feature for many

[FiveGoodMen]

7. Might be this

U.S. agencies estimate Afghanistan’s mineral deposits to be worth upwards of $1 trillion. In fact, a classified Pentagon memo called Afghanistan the “Saudi Arabia of lithium.” (Although lithium is technically not a rare earth element, it serves some of the same

...snip...

The importance of REEs to the global economy cannot be overstated. They are essential to the manufacture of a host of modern technologies, including cell phones, televisions, hybrid engines, computer components, lasers, batteries, fiber optics, and superconductors. Congressional findings have called rare earth elements “critical to national security,” and understandably so. REEs are key to the production of tank navigation systems, missile guidance systems, fighter jet engines, missile defense components, satellites, and military grade communications gear.

http://www.american.com/archive/2013/august/afghanistans-rare-earth-element-bonanza

[grahamhgreen]

36. Which makes it a war of agression and a crime:(

[FiveGoodMen]

39. Absolutely!

[Progressive dog]

8. Not one that would satisfy anyone

who is only asking to complain.

[grahamhgreen]

11. I'll take that as a no. No reason. Sensless. Irrational. War. Or war for profit.

Which makes it a war crime, btw

[Progressive dog]

28. thank you for proving my point

[grahamhgreen]

33. You got a good reason for the killing, or just another dodge?

[Progressive dog]

34. thank you yet again

[grahamhgreen]

37. Why are we there?

[Progressive dog]

41. I gave you an answer which

you don't appear to believe.

[grahamhgreen]

49. The blood is on your hands.

[Progressive dog]

52. I got it at first, only killers don't agree with you LOL

[grahamhgreen]

61. “The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of moral crisis, do nothing" - JFK

Why are we in this endless war. Should be easy to answer if it's a good reason, if not, let's leave.

[Progressive dog]

65. We were attacked, multiple times by fanatics who

were given a safe haven by the Taliban government of Afghanistan. Bill Clinton tried cruise missile strikes after diplomacy failed. Bush, with tremendous support from the American people and congress, acted to remove the safe haven in Afghanistan by military force.
President Obama was very plain about continuing the Afghan war in 2008. His policy was obvious by 2012 and he won again.
We are not in an endless war, the war is ending.

[TwilightGardener]

9. Pakistan (nukes). I doubt we're terribly concerned with actual Afghanistan now.

I suppose we'll try to protect some of the shit we built for them, and train their army, but that's about it. I think they're more concerned with that border area. Might also be minerals--but we're not going to be there long enough to control who gets hold of that stuff. Supposedly our presence will wane to just embassy by 2017, if the current plan goes through.

[grahamhgreen]

38. Which makes it a war of agression and a crime:(

[whatchamacallit]

12. It's a handy hero machine n/t

[solarhydrocan]

14. these guys know

Joe Biden: "The affirmative task we have now is to actually create a new world order"

Kerry on the New World Order

Backing up Globalization with Military Might
New World Order Onslaught
by Karen Talbot
Covert Action Quarterly, Issue 68, Fall 1999
http://www.globalissues.org/article/448/backing-up-globalization-with-military-might

[grahamhgreen]

45. Chilling.

[Octafish]

16. They need to be there so the Afghans get training so they can leave or something.

When he tossed out Donald Rumsfeld's stapler and stand-up desk, not even Robert Gates got a clear answer to your question from the brass.

[Rex]

18. Well a certain group won't be coming in to this thread anytime soon.

They are too busy foaming at the mouth over Will Pitt. They would have to answer your question, which might make Obama look slightly bad...and you know that will never happen with the blind faithful. He can do no wrong ever and you must be Hitler to suggest otherwise!

10 deployments is obscene. The fact that we have no exit strategy to a war that was ignored for ANOTHER war, we started illegally btw, that should have never been started in the first place - makes me ill. We have no objective in Afghanistan anymore, maybe not for years now...we need to get the hell out and NOW!

I watched the Iraqi war tear apart a wonderful family of 4. But I know that doesn't matter to the blind in faith. It seems their binary ways are in full bloom.

[grahamhgreen]

40. It's so disturbing when you cut to the core argument and they have no answer:(

[Rex]

44. YEP. Silence from them...some of whom are prolific posters on DU

suddenly the cat has their collective tongue it would seem when faced with questions they can not dismiss as 'hatred for XYZ'. If you pay attention, you will notice their absence in quite a few threads about the very topics they seem to be so outraged about.

I think you and I both know why.

[Orsino]

22. Because the colors don't run.

And because the blood of the poor is cheap.

[NuclearDem]

23. We're not done digging our plot in the graveyard of empires.

[frylock]

24. because of those monkey bars..

one of the alleged hijackers trained here at Montgomery Field and lived maybe 20 minutes away from me. Why didn't we attack Clairemont Mesa?

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. Hey it is at DRIVING DISTANCE

from the base for the First Marine Expeditionary force, and where we train Marines. So you could use those recruits as well.



My BIL had as his neighbor one of these guys. They lived a few blocks from Mesa College. Wait, that is within blocks of the National Guard Armory. So the cost in gas should be minimal.

And local press could get some impressive photos. I have enough common sense NOT to go for the Pulitzer on that one.

[grahamhgreen]

42. Oh right, the monkey bars, lol. And remember the pen guns, and terrorist dressed up as Santa and

mothers with baby carriages? Then there was the duct tape, and the Cipro......

[pansypoo53219]

25. pakistan pakistan pakistan. also georgee took the forces we needed to iwaq + left the rest to play

10 little indians in afghanistan.

[LuvNewcastle]

26. So they won't blow up our soldiers over here.

[grahamhgreen]

43. When was the last time an Afghani blew up a soldier over here?

Last edited Fri Jan 31, 2014, 07:00 PM - Edit history (1)

[LuvNewcastle]

58. That post isn't serious, grahamgreen.

Gotcha.

[grahamhgreen]

59. You're so bad, lol!

[jwirr]

29. I don't know about the logic of it but it helps the MIC maintain their lifestyle.

[B Calm]

46. Follow the money! All wars are a racket!

[GeorgeGist]

48. More heroes?

[LWolf]

51. Because.

We're a bunch of sociopaths without a social conscience.

"We" being the term you used. In reality, those blowing up people in Afghanistan and elsewhere do so without my support or the support of many.

[Egalitarian Thug]

53. That's easy. K&R

[Caretha]

67. I like the way you demonstrated

your point. I believe you are, if I can use a worn out pun, "Right on the Money!"

I'll interpret your photos the best I can, in case others don't get it.

Pic #1 - The map depicts 2 proposed routes from the Caspian Sea (the largest oil find in the last 40 years, it is almost twice as large as Saudi Arabia's combined oil reserves). This pipeline will cut through Afghanistan and Pakistan to deliver oil to India. So many countries & oil companies have a stake in this, it's quite complicated and incredibly lucrative.

Pic #2 - This pic represents simply a "Butt Load of Money".

Remember this quote? "Bush/Big Oil: Accept our offer of "a carpet of gold or you'll get a carpet of bombs."

[1000words]

54. Fat cats love money ...

[indepat]

57. Junior's incursion into Afghanistan is but one of a plethora of

the right-wing's cockamamie initiatives ratified as spot on.

[L0oniX]

60. Watch "Dirty Wars" There is no good reason to be over there. It's a crime against humanity.

The Tali-ban did NOT attack us ...fucking evil war mongering MIC profiteers of death. Does Obama own this yet?

[CFLDem]

63. It's a holding pattern until the next war.

Unfortunately we've built a permanent war economy.

[KG]

64. who cares. but let's drag out a wounded vet as a dam fool pushes on into the big muddy

[theHandpuppet]

66. Because the 1% are still making lotsa this

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$