U.S. Troop Level in Afghanistan (94,000) Surpasses Iraq (92,000)

[tekisui]

Source: CBS News

The Pentagon says there are now more U.S. troops in Afghanistan (94,000) than in Iraq (92,000), reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.

This day has been coming ever since the Obama administration began the strategic shift from Iraq as the primary theater of war to Afghanistan.

For years, operations in Afghanistan were hamstrung by a shortage of troops and equipment. Officially, Afghanistan was called an "economy of force" operation. In reality that meant it got what was left after all the troop and equipment requires for Iraq had been met.

All that's changed.

By the end of the summer, if all proceeds according to plan, the U.S. will have 100,000 troops in Afghanistan and 50,000 in Iraq.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20005778-503543.html

[Oregone]

1. Believable change

For better or worse

[G_j]

2. wow, something to cheer us all up

thanks Obama!

I am feeling more optimistic now...

:sarcasm:

[Forkboy]

3. This should make the people with a hard on for war even stiffer.

[Forkboy]

4. dupe

[ShortnFiery]

5. Lovely.

[WeDidIt]

6. As Obama promised throughout the campaign.

The Afghanistan number will go up by another 6000 and the Iraq number will drop by 42,000 in the next three months.

A little slower than originally hoped, but all according to everything Obama promised about these two wars.

Bravo for Obama.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Which is exactly why I didn't vote for him.

Escalating a lost war to burnish his "tough on terrorism" image reeks with political expediency.

[tekisui]

9. Actually, he didn't promise to more than double the Afghanistan numbers.

The only thing the said in the campaign was to increase the number by at least 20,000. He did that within the first few months.

Then, he doubled-down with the big surge.

He also expanded and escalated the war in Pakistan.

No bravo. Shame.

[WeDidIt]

11. Bravo for Obama

He's finishing the job that was ignored in 2003.

I support that 100%. I supported the war in Afghanistan in 2001. I still support it.

[G_j]

12. and you signed up, I'm sure.. nt

[WeDidIt]

14. I tried on September 12 to join again.

It had been twenty years since I had last served.

They would not take me back because of my age.

[G_j]

19. got kids?

send them

[WeDidIt]

20. No, my wife had a series of miscarriages.

But thanks for dredging up those feelings I had not revisited in some time.

:grr:

[G_j]

21. no problem

[WeDidIt]

22. I figured you were unfeeling, cruel, and nearly inhuman.

Thank you for confirming my suspicions.

[G_j]

25. How could I possibly know about that?

excuse the sarcasm, I am sorry for your losses.

[WeDidIt]

27. I appreciate the apology

It's very depressing every time people ask me or my wife about children having to explain why we are childless.

[G_j]

28. certainly not my intent

lets just call it a day

[tekisui]

16. We've been there for 9 years. What job are we finishing?

How will we know we are finished?

Please be very specific.

[tekisui]

29. Still awaiting a clear definition of the 9-year-old job.

[tekisui]

33. Anyone?

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MadHound]

15. Bravo Obama indeed

Bravo for keeping us in an illegal, immoral war. Bravo for sacrificing our prosperity, people and country on the twin altars of war and the MIC. Bravo Obama for keeping your promise to continue the warmongering, with absolutely no end in sight. Bravo!

'Scuse me now while I go puke.

[WeDidIt]

23. There is NOTHING illegal or immoral about the action in Afghanistan.

NOTHING.

[tekisui]

30. The drone strikes in Pakistan, carried out by non-combatants may be illegal.

[tekisui]

31. dupe

[MadHound]

32. Oh, I'd say opening a war in Pakistan is certainly illegal,

Killing innocents in both Afghanistan and Pakistan is certainly immoral. Care for me to continue?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. More cannon fodder in a lost war for the sake of PR. K&R

[rug]

13. Road sign.

[LaPera]

17. How many"contractors"? Funneling our tax $ to corporations making humongous profits off these "wars"

Killing, death and destruction for imperialistic profit.

[Enrique]

18. i was just going to post that

how many contractors? Makes no sense to exclude them.

[Echo In Light]

26. +1 ... yes, and that's ALL it is. Nothing more.

[Swamp Rat]

24. Thanks to Bushler and Cheney, we already lost those wars.

Bring home our troops NOW!!