Additional U.S. Troops to Afghanistan?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans to move three more combat brigades–thousands of additional soldiers– to Afghanistan by next summer.
Gates is in Kandahar, Afghanistan today meeting with military leaders there.
The U.S. currently has about 31,000 troops in Afghanistan, about one-quarter of the troop level in Iraq. But violence has skyrocketed in Afghanistan over the past two years. This year has been the deadliest year for U.S. troops there since the war began in 2001.
Gates told reporters the ideal size of U.S. military presence in Iraq is still being debated even though a status of forces agreement has been reached with the Iraqi government calling for U.S. troops to be in Iraq through the end of 2011.
Gates is going through a awkward transition right now. Last week, President-elect Obama announced he would keep Gates on as the Secretary of Defense. But for the next six weeks, Gates is answering to the Bush administration.
In a sign he is looking forward, Gates told reporters building up the Afghan army and improving cooperation with Kabul on security operations is key for the Obama administration…an administration he'll officially be part of come January 20.
Here’s my question to you: Should the U.S. send additional troops to Afghanistan?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 4pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
Yes Yes Yes. Not only US send additional troops but also involve Indian troops who know better of the location and situation there. Attack the Islamic terrorism where it grows not where we like.
Definitely. Most of our troop losses and civilian casualties there are due to understaffing and reliance on mechanical attacks. This is where the true war against terror should be fought; this is where we have the support of most of the world for what we do. In my understanding, among our current President's many serious mistakes, the dropping of Afghanistan's importance to the war on terrorism to benefit the illegal war in Iraq is his biggest blunder.
Yes. Unfortunately we should have marshalled all our efforts here instead of Iraq. Now we are again in another mess created by Bush. Hopefully this war will be fought smarter and better with no alternatives other than to prevail.
No. Pull them out. If Osama rebuilds a camp-bomb it. If the Taliban takes Kabul bomb it to the ground. Changing this country into something stable and modern is impossible. All we do is waste money, wage a war against the Pashtuns that will never end unless they are exterminated (not an option), and aid in the production and distribution of poppy. Oh and we've also lost way too many soldiers. It is a completely pointless endeavor. If they want to live in the 12th century preaching democracy isn't going to work when you only hold 30% of the damn country after 8 years of war.
Jack:
I hate to see us deploy troops anywhere, especially at a time when everyone, including the military, is feeling the financial crunch. But if it was demonstrated that Bin Laden was in Afganistan, I think sending troops after him would be the right thing to do.
Beyond that, we need to reconfigure our use of military force. In medicine, we don't use chemotherapy for a cold, we use it for cancer. This should hold true for troop deployment - we send troops where and when it is appropriate, not simply because we can. One of the good things that can come out of our current financial situation is the awareness that we have to be judicious in the administration of military "treatment." Thanks for asking!
Bill
More troops in Afghanistan is crucial for the survival of the 31,000 troops already there. A strong American presence and decisive strategies will not end the conflict there, but will deter it to managable levels. But what is more important here is, with the increase of troops in Afghanistan, there must be a quick and effecient withdrawl of troops from Iraq. We must not stress the Armed Forces of the US anymore than we already have.
hi jack
yes we need to find Bin Laden and bring him to justice.thanks to Bush and mission not accomplish we let him get away,that was part of Bush and Cheney looking out for themselves getting reelected for a second time buy going into Iraq,they played on our fear
clearwater,fl
No,if anything there should be a withdrawal of troops .It's a no-mans land with sub-speices leadership. If Ben Laden is alive ,our drones can take care of business.
I read that 72% of the country has been taken over by radicals once again, so the answer is no. They all need to get out of the ME altogether.
But before we leave Afghanistan, it should be leveled with nothing left standing not even the poppy fields whose product will find their way to our shores.
Our presence there does nothing but escalate hatred toward us and recruit more disenchanted people to the radical side. We, nor our way of life, is helping the situation. Just learn to respect them and their way of life and deal with it. We can't force them to be us.
Hi Jack,
NO. The situation in Afghanistan is dismal primarily because of the reticence of Pakistan to fight Taliban and Al Queda. Both of these terrorist groups have a welcoming host in Pakistan, thanks to Bush and Musharaf. Unless Gates and Obama have a strategy to deal with Pakistan's inability/reluctance to fight Taliban and Al Queda, more trops will do little. One policy change they may like to consider is to let the NATO forces into Pakistan and fight from that side of the border.
Kris
This administration said that Bin Laden isn't important so what, exactly, are we doing there anyway?
Jack–
Absolutely! It is time to fight the real war on terrorism. Iraq has proved to be a serious stumbling block in going after the real 9/11 criminals. It's about time that we got back to the real issue that the war on terror is all about.
Troy, Ohio
Jack: Before the US sends troops to Afghanistan, we should confer with the leading experts for that region. No foreign power has succeed in taking control of this part of the middle east. What makes us think this would not be another Vietnam – worse than Iraq. We should reserve judgemet until the experts have assesed this situation.
I spent over a year in Afghanistan (04-05) as a civilian contractor and I think Afghanistan instead of Iraq should have been our focus all along. It has the opportunity to be the JEWEL of the Middle East and an American success story when it comes to the spread of democracy in that region. The Afgani people need and want us there to help rid themselves of the Taliban, Al Qaeda once and for all and to help control the drug lords.
But send more troops….NO!!
We need to increase the rotation of the troops that are there now and shorten their deployments. More troops will only increase the chance of collateral damage and accidently kill more civilians. I proudly worked along side the Afganis and they are a fine people that have been on tough times far too long
Yes. It's where they should have sent them instead of Iraq.
We definitely need more troops in Afghanistan, but we also need a better strategy. Seven years...seven years and we still haven't been able to find a 6'5" old Arab guy. Here's a clue...he's the one laughing out loud in that cave over there
DJ – Detroit
Yes, but on two conditions. (1) only if we decrease troop level in Iraq, and (2) only if we don't send troops that have already served more than one tour of duty.
Before we start rushing troops to Afghanistan there needs to be a
"meeting of the minds". We need to carefully and accurately
access the situation in Afghanistan and be realistic in what
can be accomplished. We need to listen to the military...that
is the boots on the ground . Also we need take into account
the culture and history of the region (unlike we did in Iraq).
We need to avoid at all costs, the past ignorance and arrogance
of decisions made by Rumsfield and his so called advisors.
We should send more or get the one's we have there now out. Ideally, there would be a NATO force in which we would play a leading role. In time, Pakistan will be the problem, and I'm not sure a foothold in the Afghanistan mess will help us much.
Yes, but not without a clear objective and withdrawal strategy.
Boise, ID
All the soldiers in the middle east should be brought home by Christmas. Our country is bankrupt,fiscally and morally. The killing must stop!
Yes. Instead of starting a war in Iraq, we needed to focus our efforts in Afghanistan. Sending more troops is only a part of the solution. Poverty grips that nation and war lords rule the majority of it. Their economy is dominated by the poppy/heroine trade and farmers are threatened with violence if they fail to play along. It is these conditions that provide a breading ground for the Taliban.
Even if the U.S. sent in more troops, do you honestly think this will end the war?
Wasting more money, we are broke. They have been fighting for thousands of years, we should stay away and let them kill themselves. Iraq is withdrawing all troops from Iraq by June 2009. They realized that it is money blown away. Bring the troops home.
I'm sure Robert Gates is smart enough to drag his feet until Bush
is out of office so things don't get worse in Afghanistan and then he
can start implementing Obama's agenda. We'll get our troops home
and out of Iraq so we can concentrate on getting Bin Laden and his
entire gang of misfits so they can be brought to justice for their
crimes.
As it was pointed out by a recent guest on Fareed Zakaria GPS there is no military solution in Afghanistan. Diplomacy is the only effective tool of restoring some order. No empire throughout history has ever done more than influence Afghanistan. Negotiating with tribal chiefs is the best method of influencing Afghanistan.
Dear Jack,
Afghanistan is where we should have been in the first place–or maybe Saudi Arabia since that was the home of the terrorists of 911. It is time to finish the war once and for all. If it takes additional troops to do it, so be it. Just be sure blame for the whole affair rests with the Bush Administration and not with the incoming Obama Administration.
In the game,King of the Hill, you must participate to play. If the United States wishes to participate in Afghanistan, it must send troops to continue to play, it is that simple.
And pay for it how??
If Obama insists on sending more troops, then he should bring back the draft. He should also answer the question: “Once we bring democracy to Afghanistan, what do we do when the Afghans inevitably elect an anti-American leader?”
By the way the Soviet Union spend ten years at war with Afghanistan. After ten years the Soviet economy collapsed and the country imploded. Does that sound ominous?
Not without Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, all working to aid the rest of the world in getting rid of Al Queida for once and for all. We need to fight side by side to rid the world of this menace, that terrorizes nations at a whim. Who the H- does Bin Rotten think he is anyway, George Bush?
Kim Virginia
Sure. It worked for the USSR, right?
In all seriousness, yes, Afghanistan should have been our focus all along. Unfortunately a great deal of our resources have been expended in Iraq, and we must now contend with warfare in the mountains.
Yes, that is where the war that we find ourselves still in started, and where it should end. We went there to bring Bin Laden, and his followers to justice, and so far we have failed, but only because of bad judgements by the present administration who to this day don't have any idea how to uncover these terrorists. It would be a cold day in hell when I stopped looking for him because our country will never heal until he is caught. I am just so affraid that the present administration, in order to look good will make some other bold,stupid grandstand play to get Bin Laden before they leave office, and insert U.S. forces in another foreign country that will up being bad news for the U.S.
The British were never able to control Afghanistan and withdrew after two wars. The Russians, who share a common border, had 150,000 troops and couldn't control it. Why do we think we will do any better? Meanwhile, Al Qaeda is taking over Somalia.
Ed Reed
Port Aransas, TX
Jack-
It depends if we really interested in capturing 'Bin Laden'?
We can do almost anything in this world, but we can't (or don't want
to) find 'Bin Laden'.
President Obama needs to sit down and analyze the Afghan war
thus far.
Analyze the Russian-Afghan war and ask himself 'what can be done
differently and better'..
Would more troops help out, or cause more problems...
We don't need another vietnam.
At the end of the day the only way the U.S. is going to survive is to get out of the war business entirely and spend the money on defence and domestic affairs. I doubt this will happen because of the American culture but time will tell if the U.S. goes the way of Russia or stays solvent.
I'm going in the spring...
Returned from a year in Iraq last fall...
Glad to see a larger presence going in...
Afghanistan is NATO... and is important... we need to finish...
Yes – We must get back to the business of rubbing out the terrorist organizations, and it is in Afghanistan that we must begin again. Bush dropped the ball, and now we have to pick it up once again. Robert Gates seems like a capable man, and I look forward to seeing the U.S. reemphasize it's support for that country.
No.I do not understand why we have ground forces there.Of course we need to go after 911 perps,but why haven't we used Special Ops ?Didn't the Russian debacle teach us anything?
Jack,
Canada and other NATO troops have been fighting terrorists in Afghanistan for years. But it is frustrating when these terrorists are aligned with militant rogue factions in Pakistan. Along with sending more troops to Afghanistan, it is absolutely critical for the US and NATO to get Pakistani troops to squeeze out the terrorists from the Pakistani side of their Afghanistan border.
NO ! a war there can never be won period. our business is here in the u.s.a. bring our army"s home from abroad and put them to work here. guarding our boarder, fixing our bridges, etc .
Yes, we should have finished this war before we got involved in Iraq, but old Shrub Bush just had to start a war to repay his defense buddies.
Additional U.S. troops should be sent to Afghanistan because of the conditions in Pakistan. The Mujahadeen drove out the Russians now the Taliban who are actually the same Mujahadeen will be a consistent foe of America unless a diplomatic solution is eventually reached.
Yes. The U.S. should send more troops to Afghanistan. But, NATO should also send more troops. However, more troops are not the only answer. Afghanistan is a narcoterrorist state. There is a need for additional resources to eliminate the opium trade in order to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people.
The U.S. should pull all of it's forces out of the entire Middle East. We are burning billions upon billions of dollars there for no good reason at all. The citizens of those countries don't want us there, never have and never will embrace Democracy, and prefer living with a 3000 year old tribal mentality. Our best and brightest are dying over there solely for the benefit of corporations and politicians. Gates needs to realize that the ideal size of the U.S. military presence in Iraq or Afghanistan, or anywhere over there, is zero.
It might be wise until the diplomatic envoys can take over.
Normally I am a fairly reasonable person – But with the economy the way it is, the job losses increasing every month and our elected officials (Govenors, Senators, Represenatives, etc.) all trying to line their pockes - I've become a little bit "Roveish/Chaneyish/Bushish -
I think we should remove all our soldiers and sailors from harms way - They say we have way too many nuclear wepons - well, why don't we get rid of them through depletion through usage - As in turn the "Troublesome" corner of Afgaistan and Iraq into glass - That'd make the Iranians (and the rest of the world) think about screwing with us -
Not without an exit strategy, we have already been there to long and the Afgan government is a coward and has no control of the country... Besides, what are more troops going to do help guard the Afgan Drug Lords..
Absolutely not! We will merely be recreating the Iraq blunder next door. "Same dance . . . just a different tune". I say we wait until we get reasonable positive confirmation of Bin Laden being in a general area . . . then Nuke that area with small tactical Nukes and be done with it. We ended the war with Japan the same way in order to save thousands of lives and we need to do it again for the same reasons.
Wouldn't this be a little like "Bait and Switch"? Why just take them from one middle eastern country and move them to another? Don't you think we have had enough of this in the past 8 years? No bring them home.
That would be folly.
Don't these people read history?
Afghanistan is where empires go to die.
Jack
A surge will be timely. Afghanistan is more dangerous today and the war against terror will reach its highpoint if it succeeds there.
Our troops should have been Afganastan in the first place, but if we're going to be re-deploying battle weary troops from Iraq to serve 2 or more tours of duty, i just don't know!
If we can get our allies to not only go along with us, but to alieve the strain on our military, we should send more troops, BUT WITH A PLAN!!!!!!!!
Absolutely. Effective immediately, Troops scheduled for deployment to Iraq should be diverted to Affghanistan instead. No additional combat military personnel should be sent to Iraq.
We've been wasting time in Iraq long enough and need to redeploy troops to where they're most needed . . . most notably Afghanistan, the US border with Mexico and the halls of Chicago politics.
It does not take much of a student of history to understand how futile sending more troops to Afghanistan will be. It is insane to keep on pressing that issue. We should just make arrangements to purchase their Opium crop and that will do more to solve their problems than anything else. It will also remove quite a bit of heroin from the World Supply.
lets not say additional troops, lots say misdirected troops. Afghanistan should have been our only focus after 9/11, that is where the guilty parties were who attacked us. The misdirection by this Administration allowed the enemy to rebuild and regrow enough poppy to use the money to resupply then against the USA. Now they have the power, they money, and the weapons to make us pay for the misdirection.
more troops are required to complete the job in afghanistan. bin laden has been eluding the civilised world for so long now. ojong cameroon
Not any time soon. Like, in the next year. A lot of people, including Obama, have said it's going to take something different and something more than military presence – this will involve Afghanistan's entire infrastructure, apparently. And we shouldn't get involved any further unless we have help from the U.N. and troops from other countries. I wish we could just bring everyone home and stay put and fix OUR country for a change!!!
No more troops should be sent to either Afghanistan nor Iraq. Now, I learn that Gates is using the Iraqi government to break President-elect Obama's campaign pledge to bring our troops and contractors home from Iraq within 18 months after he takes office in January. It is just as I said all along, during the campaign, that Obama had no more intention of bringing our soldiers home than John McCain.
Brownwood, Texas
Yes – add more troops in Afghanistan to finally end this war where it should have been concentrated on instead of going into Iraq on false, information – we would have been done by now.
Yes, but keep in mind that there could be a drifferent situation, Due to the Obama Leadership...So we should gradually as needed send troops in. We dont want to make things worst if there is a curtailment
of enemy fire...So yes more troops but carefully applied.
Yes, we should send more troops to Afghanistan...we should have done so back in 2003 instead of sending them to Iraq. Imagine for a second if we'd followed through on our promise to help rebuild the Afghan infrastructure (roads, bridges, rail lines, etc.)...in seven years we could have established some well needed resources for the Afghan people, and the Taliban wouldn't have had an opportunity to rebuild because the people never would have stood for it.
But hey, we're starting now, so that's something. The big question in the media will be, Should Afghanistan distract us from hyperventilating about Blagojevich and trying to tie him to Obama?
Yes, our troops could take down Afganistan. Then go to Iraq and finish the war.
Have we caught bin Laden yet? No? I guess we have to go find him then.
should we have gone to vietnam, cambodia, grenada, iraq?
Sure, more troops, more bombs, why the heck not?
Hope and Change!
This is very simple. We are there, Afghanistan is as profitable as a surfer shop in Alska, its only products are heroin based.
The choice is simple, we either send a few brigades next year, or we can loose the battle there and then have to send a couple of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in 5 to 8 years to finish the job.
That is not even question! Afghanistan is flaring in potential harm to others. We should've moved faster. We are just waaaay to concerned with Iraq.
Of course we should send more troops to Afghanistan! Isn't that the whole reason we went to war? We have been distracted by Iraq, a country we can't fix, and the Bush administration knew we couldn't fix from the beginning, let's move on and fight the real fight, the one that will have a real impact on terrorism.
Jack,
Perhaps we should reinforce our Afghan presence but I would tie it lock step to drawdowns in Iraq. And not 1-for-1, but at a ratio that would reduce our overall military presence in the region (and associated costs) as we go. If our economy fails, the conflicts in the middle east will be the least of our problems.
Yes the US should sent additional troops to Afgan because that's were the really war on terrorism exist. President Elect has repeatly stated this point and it one of the reason he won this year presidential race.
For the past several years we have been told that the wars are going good then finally, this year, we have Bush telling use that he didn't think this war would be this difficult and last this long. I kind of wonder after Jan. 20 if any of the current administration will put on a uniform and head over their to fight in the war they support. Bring the troops home!
No. Enough lives have been lost fighting this war. We can't police the entire planet.
Yes Jack, the U.S. should send in troops. Your allies (Canada) have been fighting this war for years on your behalf to make up for us not going into an illegal invasion of Iraq like Bush tried to insist we do. Our boys have been dying with no back up
We could use some help over there!
Jack this is a lost cause why should we send more men and women kids as young as 21 coming home in body bags. Why should we continue to spend billions and billions of dollars when our people are facing dire conditions here in the United States. Because some idiot name Bush can't say we lost this war and Iraq. We can't fix countries that don't want to be fixed. we need to start right here in the United States of America
Anyone scheduled for Iraq should be redeployed to Afghanistan. Iraq was, and is, a stupid decision. We had no reason to go there and thousands of troops and Iraqi civilians are dead for no reason. Get those troops home so they can start healing and the troops yet to be sent should be sent to Afghanistan so that can be over quicker and then THEY can come home too.
I believe we should pull our troops out immediately. I do understand that it would be seen as another Vietnam Era pull out, but without having our own borders shored up and secured for the long haul we won't be with a damn to anyone else in the long run, regardless of anything done to fix the world. TRYING FIXING THE U.S. FIRST BEFORE FIXING THE WORLD
Absolutely. We need to start implementing the O'bama plans immediately. Having a 75 day break between election and inauguration in a 21st century internet society is as antiquated as an electoral college.
Jack sending more troops is ok but if we tie their hands what greater good can we achieve. Terrorists want all free people dead. They don't stand divided like we are. Their can be only one winner here. Do we have the stomach for what must be done. I don't think so.
It's been time for too long for the US Military to finish the fight it started in Afghanistan. If we wanted to invade Iraq we could have done it AFTER we've dealt with bin Laden.
No! Hopefully we have learned from watching when the Russians were there that it is a no win situation.
Dang right more U.S. troops should be sent to Afghanistan. Our Canadian young men and women fighting over there need some help and the only way they are going to get that help is if the United States sends over more troops to help them out. We lost three young men last week over in Afghanistan so let's get some help for the Canadian troops.
Maybe the increase of troops in Afghanistan should coincide with our decrese in Iraq. Instead of deploying more troops from the U.S. Maybe moving our troops in trickle from Iraq would be a better move.
Yes. Our only enemy is Bin Laden. He's there. If Bush really wants to save his name and his presidency he still has time to get Bid Laden.
Gerard Canta
North Arlington NJ
The War in Afghanistan is critical in America's fight on terrorism. The Bush administration has wasted far too much time, money and lives and Iraq, it's about time that more troops are deployed in Afghanistan. This past weekend, Canada lost it's 100th solider in Afghanistan, and it's time that the United States aids it's allies that have been fighting on behalf of American security since 2001.
Ever notice how it is what the U.S. is going to do about terrorists? Where is the help from other countries who have been attacked? America cannot and should not be the police force for the world. Other countries must join in. Our troops are tired and need a break.
I lost my oldest son, Cpl Matthew Commons, in March 2002 during Operation Anaconda. If we don't send more troops and ensure a victory for the Afghan people to live with freedom, then his death has no meaning. We MUST complete the mission! Rangers Lead The Way!
I believe that we should withdraw troops from Iraq and put them in Afghanistan. The problrm is the terriost in afghanistan, they are the biggest threat.
Some additional troops are definitely needed in Afghanistan, but there are two major caveats.
1) A military solution is near impossible.
2) There must be more than offsetting troop reductions in Iraq since our capacity to wage war is reaching its limits.
The solution will only come with other initiatives that involve diplomacy and various kinds of interaction with Pakistan.
Jack the war in afghanastan is the central front in the war with al qaida.The u.s military is strugiling there and they need reinforcements.It sound's like a surge is needed.God protect the troops!!
Finally we are going to get around to fighting the war on terror where 9-11 was brought to life. While there we need to take up war against the killing fields, Poppies.
Why were they pulled out in the first place? To support a judgementally dysfunctional president's ignorance? Where is the outrage?
No! The US should make a "Diplomatic Surge" in Afghanistan. There are options other than military build up! Afghanistan was a black hole for both the British and the USSR attempts to "win" militarily there. The Taliban is not the same as Al Qaeda, and the US is just another foreign invader to the Afghan people.
Yes. Instead of starting a war in Iraq, we needed to focus our efforts in Afghanistan. Sending more troops is only a part of the solution. Poverty grips that nation and war lords rule the majority of it. Their economy is dominated by the poppy/heroine trade and farmers are threatened with violence if they fail to play along. It is these conditions that provide a breading ground for the Taliban. And that is our real war.
Absolutely Not!! I am tried of U.S. troops dying in vain from a war that has brought nothing but smoke and mirrors in what they call, War on Terror.
No way! The French flew out of Vietnam, the US came in and had to leave. Sedam ruled Iraq, the US came in and will fail. The Russians tried to tame Afghanistan and failed, the US came in and will fail. It is impossible to win in those areas as they do not value life as we do in Canada and the US. Save our young soldiers and get out ASAP.
Jack, this is what should have been done to start with. It is too bad that King George didnt see this as "the place to be in the midle east". What i am trying to say is....if we have to be there why dont we do it the right way. this is not WW2 where we have lines. We need the best of the best (Soldiers) and more of them.
The anti-bush.
Bay Area, CA
No way. We should not let this occupation go on any longer. You can't beat terrorism with tanks and bombs. What turns peace loving muslims into terrorists is American imperialism. The U.S. Military is not a liberating force, but an oppressive one.
Bring the troops home, but continue humanitarian aide in the region. We owe it to the people of afganistan to help them rebuild their country after bombing it to crumbs.
NO MORE TROOPS TO AFGANISTAN! it's Iraq and Vietnam all over again...
The U.S. should not send more troops to Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a lost cause. All troops should be withdrawn. There are too many factors weighing against any positive outcome. Rather we should concentrate on focused attacks on Al Qaeda using small units of elite troops or aerial drones. While we are trying to do the right thing in Afghanistan we need to face reality and not sacrifice more of our troops and more of our dollars for a hopeless cause. The soviets ultimately had to withdraw and so will we.
Yes we should send reinforcments to Afghanistan, and this time lets call them reinforcments not "the surge.'
Yes,To the best of my knowledge this is where the terrorist are,not
in Iraq.Till next time.
Thanks JR
We need to finish the job in Afghanistan! That's where we should have been all along! Then we need to bring our troops home, and stay out of other people's business. We shouldn't go anywhere unilaterally! We should only be a part of any action, others need to contribute too !!
Yes Jack, More Troops should have been there since 911. When someone masteredmind the killings of thousands of our American Citizens, you don't go to a place like Iraq to look for that person.
Yes, but only as part of a clear, finite plan.
did not President elect Obama along with most Democrats say that we should have fought the war in Afganistan first? well is this not their chance to back this up and support troop build ups to beat the Taliban or was this all ear tickling to get votes and good publicity?
Jack the question is not should we but when should we. The world political drug corruption machine may make it extremely difficult for us to do what we want to do in Afghanistan.
Jack, this seems like a futile move without putting pressure and sanctions on pakistan to help root these criminals out into the open where we can get at them. how many more tax dollars can we as a people afford to pay in this day and age without a solid plan to win.
Fort Myers,FL
Jack, If the change in policy to get more troops into Iraq (the surge), to correct the mistake made by this administration, is it not fitting to change policy and sent more troops to where they should have been in the first place ? This is where they should have been, but of course there is no oil there. We went to Iraq for OIL, why do you think the energy meeting was kept secret, and even had to go the the Supreme Court to keep it so. ? Call it a surge or call it an infusion, or whatever you want, but lets get the job done for the real reason, defeat terriorist.
Have we forgotten why we are in Afghanistan in the first place? Osama bin Laden....911...terrorism. By all means send the additiional brigades. Let's get the job done once and for all.
We should declare victory and leave. The longer we stay in Afghanistan, the more people hate us. Nothing good can come from Afghanistan. The sooner we leave the better.
Jim, Craig, CO
No No more troups,I thing it is long over due to bring home the ones that are there!!! What is to gain, The Russians took many years to learn, why should we go down the same road?
What took us so long to concentrate on Afghanistan and Ben Laden?? Yes, yes, yes start now and concentrate on getting Ben Laden, whatever it takes.
Did Powell just say that in a way the republican party hasnt listened to the black community and asian and hispanic?
Jack,
HOW are we going to pay for this? WE have no money. Millions of people like me are trying to figure out how to pay the mortgage this month. BRING our troops home so we no longer have to pay for this mismanaged war.
We should never send 150,000 men to do what 100 can do with no publicity. That was done in Iraq. Send 100 CIA ghosts, get Bin Laden, and come home quietly, and we can go about the business of fixing this country which it sorely needs.
Sure why not? Let's pull some out of that magic hat we just pulled 700 billion from. After all we're not dealing with REAL troops who need rest, medical attention, and time with the most important thing they are fighting for, thier family and freedom. Are we?
I think we should take our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan and have them protect the US boarder with Mexico. The Afghanistan situation may get better over the short run with more troops, however, over the long haul when the American's leave – it's just going to slide back into another failed state.
Jack, maybe we can sell all the poppy were growing in Afganistan to fund the deployment. I mean really, how does Obama plan on paying for this. I got an idea, Arrest Bush, Arrest Cheney, and then take the money that Halliburton has made in 8 years and we can wage war whereever we can, because that seems like what our leaders want.
Increasing our presence in Afghanistan will deter the continuous uprising of the Taliban and reduce the fatalities of our troops. With numbers we can maintain vigilant over the Taliban, capturing Osama Bin-Laden, and the war on opium. It's a win win!
We should send more troops over to Afghanistan but we cant lose focus of our objectives. We cant just linger on in these countries forever, we need to take care of business and move on.
Jack I feel that Gates has his hands full right know but for some reason I feel he will make the right decisions, I feel that more troops blood for some ones else s Country is pretty high but It is a global threat ,and if Pakistan would open its border so we could go in and do the damn job and get it done yes and if not still yes and get it done any ways.
If we have 31,000 troops in Afghanistan then every nation who is threatened by the terrorists who reside there (Afghanistan) should send an equivalent number of troops.
If the World was to join forces, this war, and all war, would be terminated in moments.
If we are one, then let's become one in all aspects of what affects us all.
From Belle Mead, NJ:
The war in Afghanistan is just another quagmire. We should leave that country, not increase the troops.
The way to fight Al Qaeda is to use the CIA to locate the leadership, and then bomb the smithereens out of them. This does not take ground troops or nation-building.
Furthermore, if we are ever attacked again at home, then we should spin a wheel with the names of all the cities where there is a lot of moral and financial support for AQ. Whichever city is selected by the spinning wheel, should be carpet bombed within minutes of any future attack on us by AQ.
Jack, that question just makes me think. The last democratic administration was about peace and prosperity in America. Havent our soldiers and their families earned a break???? I just hope we're on our way back to that place we were at in the world so that more of our troops can get back to their families, instead of back in harm's way. God Bless our Troops!!!!
Yes, we need to increase troops in Afganistan, the sooner the better. We should never have left there in the first place to go to Iraq, breaking our promise to the Iraq people to improve their government and living conditions. If we don't, we will be no better than the Russians who left Afganistan in a condition favorable for the growth of the Taliban.
Hi Jack,
when I read comment like this one
I have a hard time answering! Again, we need the real picture of diplomacy, humanitarian aid, Pakistan's contributions to the solutions with and for Afghanistan and a joint economic solution!
If we get people focussed on the economic status of a country we may reduce war and it's ugly financial, moral and social costs. Can we buy a liltle piece of land somewhere for real peace in this world!
Yes, but not those troops that have already served more than one tour in Iraq AND we should pressure our NATO allies to up their support and troop levels. Terror is a world problem. This problem will impact them as much as the U.S.
The American people did not sign on to fight a century long war with the Taliban or Pakistani militants. The US and NATO forces were supposed to catch Bin Laden, but, failed. After seven years it is obvious that more troops will not catch Bin Laden, so, it is time to withdraw from the half baked Afghanastan mess and leave those people to sort the issues for themselves.
No more troops to the Mideast. It's a repeat that does not need to take place.
Let me preface by saying that I'm neither Republican nor Democrat, and have no party affiliation; however, I am a veteran. I hate war. Regardless of whether people feel we were right or wrong to have gone into Afghanistan, the fact remains that we went in, and we now have an obligation to finish what we started and clean up the mess. If it takes more troops to suppress insurgents and help the Afghanis rebuild a democratic pro-human rights government, which will bring about a quicker end to the occupation, then I'm in favor of it. Hopefully we can get more help from NATO and the UN, but I'm not holding my breath. Bush did a good job of alienating our allies, but I hope Obama can convince them to come back to the table and work more closely with us.
Roland
St. George, UT
More troups in Afganistan are OK if they are primarily on their way home. The war in Afganistan should be carried out without invasion. The use of 21st century weapons, drones and high level bombing etc should be used.
Force is not a solution, and it will never be. Terrorism is a psychological war, and can only be eradicated through psychological means. America must end this two war as soon as possible, and focus on the real threates which are Russia, India, China, and Iran.
Jack, as Russia learned years ago, Afghanistan is a no-win situation. Unfortunately, we have to be there for reasons of our own security, but we also have to abandon any Bush-like notion that we will ever be "victorious" there. The best we can hope for is a chance to be some force for stabilization in the region, and to dismantle Al Qaeda.
I believe that we should withdraw troops from Iraq and put them in Afghanistan. The problem is the terriost in afghanistan, they are the biggest threat.
jack, my son just returned from a 12 month deployment in iraq....and I resent people who think they know all the answers and are also willing to sacrifice other peoples' children.....this country has not been asked to do anything to help the "war effort", except to shop.....The Bush administration has been disgraceful toward our men and women in uniform, especially to the wounded.......the military has ben streched so thin that men are serving 4 tours.......my son is leaving the corp in february, and I am s afraid that he will be called back , this is called stop loss.....I am very proud of my son and he knew what he was getting into, but I am ashamed of my fellow citizens who could not care less..........mattituck, ny
No more WAR.
Jack, can you imagine bringing them all home right now. There are no jobs for those dear soldiers. Keep them doing a job and keep them as safe as we can. This economy needs to change to be able to employ soldiers.
yes. get out of Iraq and send to Afghanistan.
one more troop...his name should be blagoyevich....put a firecracker in his hair and smoke out bin laden
We should not send any more troops to Afghanistan. We should bring our troops home from Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and any other Middle Eastern countries. We have done more harm, than good. The U.S. was supposed to carry a first aide kit to aid these countries, but instead has carried a baseball bat and been a bully. It is time to put down the bat and go home and clean up their own park. We are not a world police force, we are the U.S. Force. We have upset the apple cart in that part of the world. Come Home!
Yes of course! And maybe russia would like to help ? You know they have a lot of experience in that region. Lets get those terroriest no mater how many women and children have to die, as long as we don`t have to show it on the six o`clock news.
Jack a Big Yes that is where we should of focused on for years now and if we had we may of even found Bin Linden by now. So Jack Yes, Yes, Yes.
Because of all the success over the past centuries, I would vote no.
No.Let's send Special Ops to find Bin Laden and friends.You know, as we should have done years ago.What good is it to send more ground troops?Have we forgotten the Russian debacle?
Why not Russia did for a full decade? And we have to beat Russia right?
But to send them over there, in hopes of a victory is a lost cause. This is our generations Viet Nam.
I'm very sad to see more brigades of boots on the ground. This mission–is clearly a NATO sanctioned operation (very much unlike Iraq) and it would certainly be better for world opinion–and our pocketbooks at home–if more of our NATO allies had a human and financial stake in the mission to root out Osama Bin-Laden.
We can not continue to be our Brothers Keeper. The only reason for any troops to be there, as far as I am concerned, is to locate and capture Bin Laden.....
Jack....this is a no brainer...send the troops specifically to get Bin Laden....do it for the american people....then watch how Iraq suddenly becomes the model for democracies.....George Bush did one thing right.....nothing!
Julie
Hamilton, Ontario
Yeah, but it's not enough, they also need civilian aid to keep the people on America's side, plus more could always be done w/ putting pressure on Pakistan to be more involed in putting on the squeeze in their bordering region.
If you ask me they should put in some deep cover agents where these terrorists are being recruited to find out locations of training sites, barracks, ect we're using an army to fight unconventional warfare against a small group of terrorists, we should be using intelligence along with special forces. ==NJ
No Sir! ....
Bring the ones there now HOME ..........
Why can't this country ever learn from history? ....
We'll never make the defining moment in that country, it has to come from their people.
It"s the wild west in Afghanistan and teaching them Westerh-style democracy would be as easy as converting Russia into a democracy. It's not going to happen no matter how many troops we send there or how many billions in taxpayer money we flush down that endless drain.
Yes, that's where they all should have been in the first place.
We should put more troops in Afghanistan only if we pull troops out of Iraq. Iraq was a distraction from the REAL war on terror and needs to end Jack. We need to make sure human rights are observed for women in Afghanistan and children too. We should stop destroying their poppy plantations also as poppies produce morphine which is used in hospitals to dull the pain. They need their economy to work like we need our economy to work and stop all drug wars.
Maybe Bush has lost his war against the 'terrists', eh? Perhaps Obama will try something drastic and heretofore unthoughtof: diplomacy. Maybe not.
Jack – send John McCain over there – he knows how to find Bin Laden. He said so himself -– many many many many many times.
Jack in my opinion the middle east have and never will stop fighting against themselves I beleive it is in their nature. Nothing less than a tackticle nuclear attack can stop that for awhile and that will never happen by U.S. forces so Jack there really is not a solution but pull out and use some other way of conveniece of a better way without more bloodshed.
The real truth is in all wars rich people love em – they are war profiteers and that is what it is all about in Iraq and Afganistan. People are getting rich from the death of our young men and women in the service. Freedom, terrorism – it's all crap it is about war profits for the rich!
Absolutely not! During my military career I engaged in some operations at the Afghanistan – .Pakistan border.This is absolutely a no – man's land and and is cotrolled by the tribesman and neither country has any influence on them. I was allowed in to shop at the thieves market and was given protection by the tribesmen. Their creed is that they guard guests with their lives and absolutely wil not tolerate any occupation. History has confirmed their determination with the defeat of both Britain and Russia and will surely be our fate if we pursue this war!
Jack, I am retired from the Cdn Army and I dont think the US should be obligated to send any more troops to that God forsaken country unless more NATO counties get off their asses and send some of their troops into combat there. I dont think anyone is ever going to solve that. areas problems. They have been trying for years and never accomplished anything yet
If we don't, then the Taliban will take over again and they'll have a secure base to plan and launch another attack on the US. A surge worked in Iraq, and it will work in Afghanistan.
No-As a Marine who served in Nam my regret is we didn't learn a damn thing in that fiasco and all we are doing is repeating history-when will we ever learn.
My hope is Obama will reverse his course once all the facts are in.
Hi Jack,
Your questions target the heart of the issues you raise, which are of critical importance. Thank you for posting my comment saying no to more troops to fight in Afghanistan. We need a peace plan to help rebuild the war devastaed country.
Siddieq
Pebble Beach, Ca.
My answer is no. All troops should be brought home and the government should for once care about its own people. I don't mean to be harsh, but our government is stupid and unaware of what is good for this wonderful country and its people.
When they start thinking about us and less about other countries and Weapons of mass destruction that don't exist then we will all be better off.
Things will be better when the government minds their own business and quits being a bully to the rest of the world.
Paul
Walker, Michigan
Any redeployment of troops to that region should be contingent on a reopening of the 9/11 commision by an independant entity, an investigation as to what role the Mossad had in the attack, a pulic disclousure of profits made from the prison industrial complex, the military industrial complex, and a list of political contributions by employees and/shareholders of companies related to these industries.