10 Reasons for Getting the Troops Out of Afghanistan

[tekisui]

Source: Natural Choices

The latest leaflet from the Stop the War Coalition neatly sums up the arguments for withdrawal from a country who’s population no longer wants to be occupied. With 52% of the UK population now against the war maybe it’s time to invest in something other than guns and helicopters.


1 The death rate is rising on both sides. The number of British troops who have died is now higher than those killed in 6 years in Iraq. Fifteen soldiers died in the first two weeks of July alone. No one keeps track of the number of Afghan dead but it numbers tens of thousands since 2001. In May more than 140 Afghans, mainly women and children, were killed in one air strike.

2 This is an unwinnable war. The Taliban was defeated in 2001 but is now growing in strength. Osama bin Laden has not been captured. The war is supposedly about defending the Karzai government. But his government is one of the most corrupt in the world. Neither he nor the occupation forces have brought any real improvements for the Afghan people.

3 Gordon Brown claims the war is about combating terrorism. But there was no terrorist threat to Britain before the war in Afghanistan, or before the war in Iraq in 2003. It is those wars and their consequences that have made Britain a target. Even MI5 told the government the Iraq occupation was likely to increase not decrease terrorism.

4 We are told this may have to be our ’30 years war’. We have fought for eight years and the situation is getting worse. Children as yet unborn will be dying if this war is not stopped.

5 The war is spreading to Pakistan, which is a nuclear state, opening up the prospect of an even more terrible conflict.

more: http://www.naturalchoices.co.uk/10-reasons-for-getting-the-troops?id_mot=10

________________________________________________________________________
This comes from the UK, but the reasons are even stronger for the US.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. But...but...Rush would say that Obama was "cutting and running" (GASP!)

Not to mention all those dominoes falling all over the world.

[imdjh]

4. Not if we actually had some moves as Dems. "Bring the troops home, they are needed on the border."

If you simply want to bring the troops home, then you are a "peace weenie".
If you want to bring the troops home to re-enforce the border, then you are a patriot.


We need better PR and spin.

[samrock]

2. Sooooo what do we do when....

The Taliban and Al Quida take over the country again????

[tekisui]

3. The Taliban already have regrouped and regained a lot of control.

AQ is a boogeyman. We are the most powerful recruitment tool for the extremists. You don't think they hate us for our freedom, do you? We are making the problem worse, and increasing the risk to our security with each bullet and each bomb.

Let the Afghan people work out their problems, we have destroyed their country enough.

[samrock]

7. ooooooook

and when the Tali ban allows Al Que-da to go back to making camps??.. and plan and launch attacks against us from Afghanistan.. When they force all women from going to school.. Force teenage girls to marry older men?? What do we do when they create an incident similar to 9/11 and it is traced to them??

I do not like being there.. but that is a part of the world that has given the west problems siNCE the mid 1800's.. The rest of the western world must work with us to bring them into the 21st century.. It will be a long. multi generational effort.. but Rome was not built in a day.. We can not just toss our hands in the air and walk away from here.. Iraq.. yes we should NEVER have gone in there.. HERE I disagree.. IF we do.. we will regret it..

[Blaze Diem]

9. I agree with you as tho IRAQ. Too much money & too many lives were wasted on the Bush/Cheney/OilCo.s

greed.
That's what Iraq was about.

Knowing what we know about the Iraq invasion, how we were swindled into being there inthe first place, and who profitted from this disaster and enormous loss of lives, I ask you how are we to trust those who now say we must be in Afghanistan for the reasons we are given?

Bush/Cheney lies cost the world thousand of innocent lives and disruption forever.

I don't believe for a second that because they are not sitting in the White House today that we are suddenly doing what's right.
It will never ever end by the means we are employing.
I must disagree with you on this.

Good discussion, however.
Your opinion is your right.

[samrock]

10. The only reason to be in Afghanistan is 9/11..

That showed we can not trust that country to NOT allow others to set up bases inside their country to attack us.. IF we get to the point where there is a strong enough government inside Afghanistan to stop those who hate us from making bases and launching attacks against us.. then we can leave..

[Blaze Diem]

11. 9-11 was indeed a hit on the USA but that's where we stop being in agreement.

Facts don't add up & can't be ignored.
Follow the money & who was in charge & who veered off to Iraq instead of taking the Afghanistan trail after Bin Laden seriously.

I'll always believe that 9-11 was an inside job.
Nothing else tells me otherwise, until some answers are provided for those who question just who ordered the Towers brought down & why.

We were lied to. For profit. Nothing's changed.

All I have to say on this subject.

[Blaze Diem]

5. My future son-in-law will be deployed to the ME (somewhere) in Feb, I am

scared to death for this kind, smart, funny and genuine & dear young man.
He is Air Force (in for 3 yrs with 3 to go) , and though not a pilot, he will not say
what his job will be once there.
He has studied some Arabic & is somewhat fluent but not to the point of being a linguist. Some translation perhaps.

Anyone know what he may be doing or in what job position he may be placed?
At this point he monitors computer screens for something he is not allowed to tell us about.

This is sad to see since I lived through this with friends, classmates, local kids, good kids, during Vietnam.
I recall what they were like when & if they returned.

Appreciate any info from my DUer friends.
I'm effing scared.
Fear flashbacks..ya know?

Thanks
Blaze

[tekisui]

6. I understand what you are going through.

My brother-in-law did two tours in Afghanistan. His humvey was hit with an IED. He suffered a concussion, thankfully that was all. He has had a helluva time adjusting and re-entering civilian life. He is even wanting to go back as a contractor, because it is what he knows how to do. I have no idea what your son-in-law will be doing, but I hope for the best for him and your family.

[Blaze Diem]

8. Thanks for your response. Its good to hear honestly from someone who's been through this experience.

My concerns are of his safety when there, of course, and for his mental/emotional state of mind when he returns.

That I hope it doesn't change him, is perhaps naive & I know that the innocence of this young man (he's 23) will be lost forever in the reality of someone else's war.
Wars like this are not created by the likes of good hearted people such as himself.

The condition of returning Vietnam vets was nothing most of us waiting here at home could ever understand.
You certainly had to 'be there' to grasp what manifested such a change in a person.
Young men that were raised 'right'. Good students, blessed sons, good keepers of their families and gentlemen to the girls they asked to the senior prom.
They were that young.

I fear for my daughter who deserves to have the love of her life return as he left, deserves that chance at happiness without having it interrupted so early in its beginning.
Many like these two have been changed forever in some fashion, because of this nation's need for war. Their American dream was lost early on.
My problem comes when questioning "at who's benefit".
The thought that politics, corporations and the likes of oil companies and Dick Cheney's Haliburton have made millions of dollars off the innocence of so many people is sickening.

I have always opposed the US invasion of the Middle East and to now be faced with it threatening my tiny little family just underscores my detest for those who took our Nation over there, and those who keep it going.
There are far too many unanswered questions concerning the war as we now know it, as well as what actually lead us there in the first place.

Thanks for listening.
Thank You

Blaze

[gimama]

12. You & Yours will be in my thoughts

For some info & reSources, I highly suggest:
www.IAVA.org ~Iraq & Afghanistan Vets of America
& www.veteransforcommonsense.org
Both are great groups, & non-partisan

I also appreciate..
www.mfso.org ~Military Families Speak Out,
www.veteransforPEACE.org ,
& www.IVAW.org ~Iraq Vets Against war
...'cause I lean that way.

Blesssings to You & Your Family. Please stay in touch.

[Blaze Diem]

16. Thank you & bookmarked to my personal files.

This will help greatly.

[gimama]

17. You're so welcome, & please don't wait to network

& set up a real support system for Your Family.
And don't hesitate to contact me if You need to.
I've been thru it too.
Best Wishes & Blessings to You & Yours

[crickets]

13. 6. Life is getting worse for most Afghans under occupation.

10. The majority of Afghans do not want the war and occupation.

Those are two of the best reasons ever for leaving.

[Echo In Light]

14. Funny how their concerns are always secondary, if not irrelevant and obsolete

Empire marches on

[crickets]

15. I did find it odd these reasons were so low on the list. -nt

[OneBlueSky]

18. "Britain has spent £4.6 billion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq every year" . . .

a drop in the bucket compared to what the U.S. is spending . . . enough to provide healthcare for every American, and then some . . .