Gen. Petraeus: Afghan victory not a ‘sure thing’

[unhappycamper]

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/04/24/petraeus_wideweb__470x370,0.jpg


Gen. Petraeus: Afghan victory not a ‘sure thing’
By Sahil Kapur
Monday, December 6th, 2010 -- 9:11 am

The commanding general of the war in Afghanistan says US victory in the region may not be a "sure thing" after all.

"I don't think there are any sure things in this kind of endeavor," Gen. David Petraeus told ABC's George Stephanopoulos in an interview published Monday morning. "And I wouldn't be honest with you and with the viewers if I didn't convey that."

The war's top commander, who this year took the reins from Gen. Stanley McChrystal, hedged by claiming neither he or any other top general could ever be "confident" in success, but he insisted it's a "reasonable" possibility that should be sought after.

"I think -- no commander ever is going to come out and say, 'I'm confident that we can do this,'" he said. "I think that you say that you assess that this is -- you believe this is, you know, a reasonable prospect and knowing how important it is -- that we have to do everything we can to increase the chances of that prospect."

The American public has grown increasingly weary of the nine-year war as instances of violence and corruption continue to surface, and concerns have risen that the war was a mistake and that the United States is no better off as a result of it.


:wtf:

[Brickbat]

1. I'm guessing it would be helpful if someone could articulate what exactly "victory" looks like in

Afghanistan. That might be a good first step, 10 years too late.

[somone]

2. Not even a catastrophic success?

Geeez.

[City Lights]

3. General MOTO! How long did it take you to figure that out, General?

:eyes:

[GSLevel9]

10. let's face the facts...

the Generals just do what the POTUS tells them to do.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. Didn't Custer say the same thing at the Little Big Horn?

[MadHound]

5. Well d'uh, I could have told you this ten years ago and saved everybody the trouble

The sad fact of the matter is that this war, much like Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, and countless small wars we've been involved with in S. America and the Caribbean, was never meant to be won, there was never meant to be a "victory".

What these victoryless wars are all about, the only thing that they are about, is to provide expanded earning opportunities for the wealthly, elite and the military industrial complex. Victory is the furthest thing from the minds of our leaders when it comes to these wars, but rather how long can we keep these wars going in the face of public outrage and extract as much money as we can from the people.

[bemildred]

6. A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. nt

[driver8]

7. File this under "No Shit, Sherlock."

Why didn't they just ask DU?

We could have told them that...

[gratuitous]

8. We're just a bunch of dirty fucking hippies

Not a big-shot general with shiny stars on our collars. Okay, we're right so often it's scary, but since we're not allowed to talk on the teevee, our worthless opinions can be safely ignored by the Beltway Insiders.

Reading over the comments by the Man Called Petraeus, it's hard to fit those words into the mouth of, say, Gen. Patton or Gen. Eisenhower, but as Donald Rumfilled said, you go to war with the generals you have, not the generals you might want.

[driver8]

11. It just amazes me that we didn't learn anything when the Afghans kicked the shit out of the Soviets.

"Donald Rumfilled" -- I like that!

[sarcasmo]

9. Yet they will keep spending the 100's of millions a day to keep fighting, IDIOTS!

[NI4NI]

12. If Obama (or any Dem) said that, imagine the backlash n/t

[amborin]

13. whatever "victory" is supposed to mean

[Xenotime]

14. GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!!

GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!! GET OUT NOW!!!

FUCK!!! I thought this shit would end with President Obama in command. This is like 2004 all over again.

[bluedigger]

15. No war is ever a "sure thing".

If it were, one side or the other would capitulate prior to commencing hostilities. Much like football, that's why they play the game.:shrug:

Let's just take our ball and go home...:banghead:

[leeroysphitz]

16. Especially when nobody in charge has bothered to define "victory" in any concrete terms.

Makes it tough.