It's time to shift our military focus to Afghanistan.

[kentuck]

Looking at the increase in violence there in the last few months, it is becoming obvious that we need more troops and support there to keep the Taliban from re-forming. Some reports show the Taliban already in control of large portions of the country outside of Kabul. Americans are being killed there at a higher rate recently.

Meanwhile, the violence has subsided in Iraq. It is time to start withdrawing our troop from Iraq and put them where they are needed. It was wrong to put them into Iraq in the first place. Now is the time for them to withdraw.

[tabasco]

1. It was never time to shift away from Afghanistan.

But the oil boys had to get on top of that oil in Iraq.

[kentuck]

2. Some will say we have no business in Afghanistan either...

But that is a matter of opinion.

[tabasco]

4. It was my opinion that we had business in Afghanistan, and that business

was to kick ass, make sure Bin Laden was dead, and come home.

But Boosh let the Pakistanis "guard the border" at Tora Bora and Bin Laden got away.

[EFerrari]

8. We had no business rearranging rocks and killing civilians in Afghanistan

and letting bin Laden waltz away.

The answer to Afghanistan is not the US military. It is peacekeeping forces and UN investment -- neither of which will happen without our lead. Which will also not happen.

[LakeSamish706]

3. No, its time to shift our military focus home... Get the troops out of both Iraq and...

Afghanistan. n/t

[HereSince1628]

5. I think I heard a BINGO!

As a colonizing power there is nothing but misery for us there.

[asjr]

6. After years of futile battle Russia finally

woke up and left Afghanistan. What on earth made us think we could do better. And as far as bin Laden is concerned he may have been dead for years. Whether we leave or stay the Taliban will retake the whole country. I want us to get the hell out of that entire region and let them fight it out among themselves. And there will be continual fighting among the Sunni and Shia in Iraq. They can hardly wait until we are gone.

[NNN0LHI]

7. Taliban already in control of large portions of the country outside of Kabul. Say what?

What portions of Afghanistan did we ever control besides Kabul before? I don't think there were any.

And aren't the Taliban just some Afghan people who don't like having an American boot on their neck and we just call them Taliban because it sounds better?

We either need to leave and give Afghanistan back to the Afghan people or plan on staying there forever killing Afghan people. Thats the only two options here.

Don

[kentuck]

9. I think the Taliban were scattered to Pakistan...?

After the initial invasion and bombings. However, they are presently reorganizing in most of Afghanistan. And the violence has increased. We should not forget the violence toward the women in that country and the destruction of the Buddhists symbols and statues...Do we want that to return?

[two gun sid]

10. I believe the time for a military solution has passed

when we removed the Taliban we could have done a great many things to help the Afghanis and ourselves. Instead Bush allowed Afghanistan to stagnate so he could use our resources to attempt to control the Iraqi's oil and ultimately the whole of the middle east. Any big military push in Afghanistan will only lead us into Pakistan. We no longer have the military, the money or the allies to dictate a military settlement.

We should seek a political settlement like the Brits were finally forced to do with PIRA in Northern Ireland. The war on terrorism was and is a sham.