How would you feel about the U.S. maintaining a military presence in Afghanistan for decades?
(PHOTO CREDIT: MASSOUD HOSSAINI/AFP/Getty Images)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
As the calls for a quicker U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan get louder in Washington, an interesting story appeared in the British paper, The Guardian. The paper reports that U.S. and Afghan officials are in secret talks over a long-term security partnership between the two nations.
If this is the case, such a deal could put U.S. troops and other special forces and personnel in Afghanistan for decades. The Guardian reports these talks have been under way for more than a month. A U.S. official denies The Guardian report and said there are no plans for a permanent base in Afghanistan. We'll see.
The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is supposed to begin in July. And President Obama is planning to release his plan soon on how many of the more than 100,000 U.S troops in Afghanistan will come home as the withdrawal begins. More than two dozen senators sent a letter to the president today calling for a "sizable and sustained reduction" of military forces in Afghanistan.
The U.S. is involved in four wars right now. Even though the White House - in trying to clear the president of any wrongdoing under the war powers resolution - argues that the U.S. military action in Libya doesn't amount to full-blown "hostilities." But we're spending money on these operations, we're engaging in military action, and we're putting military lives at risk. And we're stretched pretty thin.
Here’s my question to you: How would you feel about the U.S. maintaining a military presence in Afghanistan for decades?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Karl in Flint, Michigan:
My idealistic side doesn't like the idea, but my realistic side says somebody has to babysit those clowns since we depend on oil from the region and stability has to be maintained to support oil company profits. If we ever replace fossil fuels with more sensible alternatives then we can leave the Middle East to continue their never-ending wars. Until then, we are pretty much stuck.
Chandler in Rockaway, New Jersey:
Jack, what else is new? We've had a base in Cuba since the Spanish American war (1898). We've had troops in Germany and Japan since the end of WWII (1945). Our ally South Korea is still technically at war with North Korea, and yup, we've still got troops there. We are going to have soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan forever.
Gerry in Ash Fork, Arizona:
Western democracy doesn't have a chance against a thousand years of warlords. We should bail out and cut our losses. The Muslim mentality will never grasp the concept of democracy as the Quran will never permit it. If ever there was a situation of throwing money down a rat hole this is it. Not to mention the loss of American lives.
Jerry:
The U.S. military should get out of Afghanistan immediately. The only difference between staying there for 20 years or 20 more minutes is the number of dead military and civilians. It is an exercise in futility. Bring the troops home. While we are at it how about a total withdrawal from Iraq? Korea? Europe? Bring them home and put them on the border with that failed state Mexico.
James in Americus, Georgia:
Personally, I am tired of the U.S. military being used as a "police force" around the world. While I fully support our military, I think our reach has exceeded our grasp. Afghanistan is one of several countries who seem to be in a perpetual state of war. What makes us believe we can fix their problems?
Rick:
That would be an idiotic idea, actually.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
How would you feel about the U.S. maintaining a military presence in Afghanistan for decades?
As long as it isn't being funded by my tax dollars, I really don't care! Let the Oil Companies pay for the wars over their!
And it's one-two-three
What are we fighting for
Don't tell me I don't give a d___
Next stop is Vietnam...
Strike that:
Next stop is Afghanistan
And Libya
And Iraq
And Name-A-Country-That-The-Government-Wants-To:
Defend
Or convert to Democracy
Or convert to corporatism...
Ron Paul in 2012...
Ridiculous, as the premise the U.S. must have a military presence throughout the world. As the mid-east finds freedom the right wing of the U.S. have an agenda of limiting individual rights while expanding government oversight. i,e, Gitmo, Bagram, and talk "revisiting" the 1st amendment
Jack,
The thought of an extended stay in Afghanistan is unthinkable. What have we gained from thousands of casualties and hundreds of billions of dollars wasted? We stirred a hornet's nest, and any farmer can tell you that is not a good thing. And after 10 years, we've done virtually nothing to eradicate the poison of opium that is grown there. Let's just go home!
Rick,
Medina, OH
For what reason?
We've proven over the last 10 years that we can't civilize that country, and now we're just throwing good money after bad, and spilling American blood to no effect.
About the same way you would feel if told you'd be sharing the stage with Wolf Blitzer for the next twenty years. "Thanks very much".
Gary in Scottsdale, Arizona
Why, to prevent it from becoming a failed state? Aren't there plenty of other "safe havens," like Yemen, Somalia, possibly Libya, Egypt, etc?
In the long run maintaining a presence in Afghanistan would be the wrong move and just plain stupid. We always seem to reach out to the wrong and end up fighting them in the future. We have done more for Afghanistan then they ever could of done for themselves. Withdrawl and stay out.
It doesn’t matter how I feel, how you feel or how anyone else feels. It is a done deal. The US will be there for quite a long time.
Can you spell Germany, Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, etc. ?????
***************************************
I'm ok with it. That country is backwards. Terrorists can spring up at any time, even in their military and government. Someone has to be the responsible adult supervising the playground.
NO, NO, NO!!! Money, effort, resources down the drain...NO, NO, NO!!! Get the heck out of the Middle East, period. They don't want us there; there's no remedy to that regions' issues, politics, religious zealotry, imbominable human rights and it's been that way for more than 2000 years. Isn't there a saying that might apply here that we could get our politicians and our President...let's see, "Let's not throw effort after foolishness." I'd like to see a complete withdrawal of US troops, planes and monetary support by December, 2011. I've had enough of throwing money into an endlessly corrupt bank account of foreign leaders.
Only if the members of the Republican and Democratic Parties pay the cost out their pockets and not the American taxpayer; otherwise the sooner we get out the better. Ditto for Iraq. The people and cultures of these areas don't want us there so let's give them what they want. No interference, no troops and none of our money.
Jack when the war in Afghanistan started i made the comment that it would last for decades once started. That still holds true today. All America has accomplished for all the lives lost and all the billions of dollars spent is killing a few Taliban and a few Al Qaida members. Our government has spent massive amounts of money rebuilding countries it has ravaged and attempting to build democracy in parts of the world that never ask for or wanted democracy in the first place. Meanwhile our own country and economy crumble. We are no safer today then we were 10 years ago. This war mongering has got to stop before it is too late to recover financially from it.
Jack: No way!! I would rather burn every popping producing field to make heroin in one massive campaign. I would rather see the President of Afghanistan and his brother behind bars in prison for life. I do not want America in Afghanistan one more year, one more month, and more day than needed. I do not believe decades are required, but I am a realist. I believe by July 2012, the United States Military, should only have 40,000 personnel, and by December 2012 only enough military to protect the American Embassy very well.
Mr. Cafferty, I am opposed at subjecting our military to keep a presence in this country that is nothing more than a collection of illiterate tribes throughout deplorable terrain.
I'd feel just fine about it if Americans weren't dying and it didn't cost our childrens futures to fund....
I feel practically, with these elected criminals, we lost our tax dollar and poured in Iraq, and Afghanistan. Now congress is bickering instead of fixing the real problems....Entire congress need to be in Jail.....counting all the jail bars.....o.k,
About the same way as I feel about maintaining a military presence in all the other places we have been maintaining a military presence – I don’t like it and we can’t afford it anymore.
There's no middle of the road. Either we commit & stay or we pull out soon. This tip-toeing around our worldwide policing effort is driving me crazy. For one, I say, bring the soldiers and the money home and re-build this great nation and protect it with all the vigor we can muster.
The US maintains stable long term military presences in countries like Japan, Korea, and Germany by negotiating Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs) with the host country's government. Lacking such an agreement, it is time to consider leaving countries where governments are too unstable to back up such an arrangement for our troops.
5 more minutes is too long unless Afghanistan pays for it. Cash.
I would feel sick to my stomach, that's how I would feel. It's a black hole that's eating taxpayer dollars we need here at home. Guess if we want new schools we'll have to move to Afghanistan.
I don't think we should nor should we in Iraq. The US at some point has got to end the wars they get into and actually exit and on keep leaving bases and troops in their place. It's time to focus those resources on our own economy and social needs.
We are still in Germany, Korea, Japan, Iraq, Bosnia,. What else is new.
Disgusting !
Joane G
Wi
I would wonder if this was another Vietnam. No way I would support maintaining a U.S. presence in Afghanistan for decades. Bring our troops home!
Stupid idea. We need to get out of that mess. As soon as we leave they will go back to their archaic ways and all the lives will have been lost for naught.
In a word... Disgusted.
Like I would have to find a new country to live in so that my children and grandchildren would not be saddled with the expenses of this folly.
Matt
Rockford
How would you feel about the U.S. maintaining a military presence in Afghanistan for decades?
I would not support that.
I think that we should pull out by the end of the year. Afghanistan and Iraq are nothing but money pits for us.
It doesn't matter if we leave in a day, a week, a month, a year, a decade or a century. The moment we leave either nation they will have a Civil War and there is nothing we can do for them.
They will each need to decide what they want for themselves.
We can't force our brand on Democracy on them, nor should we.
Jenna
Roseville CA
Absolutely NOT.
My solution Is a bit more radical than that.
Come home with our troops. Close our borders to all people coming into America from any country that we are in conflict with.Simply refuse entry.
Have a plane waiting to take them home
No occupation Jack.
Use intelligence assets and special forces. As a matter of fact, bring all of our boys and girls home.
The CCCP collapsed in 1991. Why do we have over 400 bases around the world? The Navy can do a fine job at a cheaper cost than us throwing money at our enemies on that side of the world when we cant even protect our southern border and have no energy independence. This makes us look like idiots to our friends, and weak to our enemies.
Jack i feel our government is lying to us about it's partners in the Middle East. We have no partners in Pakistan and we have no partners in Afghanistan. Both of those countries are using the United States for money and our idiot politicians keep right on pouring assets into a losing battle. Neither country wants Americans inside of it's borders without a price tag on their presence there. They harbor and aide the Taliban and Al Qaeda and continue to take money from America at the same time. They are playing both sides against the middle and the losers are our soldiers and our tax payers. Enough is enough. It is time to come home. Stick a fork in it we are done.
has the United States gone INSANE? you may as well be asking "Should the U.S. still be in Vietnam?", Jack.
As it's been said many times, bring all of our military home from these godforesaken countries and place them down on the Mexican border. We can ask all these hypothetical questions til we're blue in the face Jack, but nothing will be done about it. The puppet strings are being pulled from a much higher level than the common US citizen. Not to mention the lose of freedoms going down the drain every day. Take care – love your CNN spot on the SR.
Kevin from Bear Delaware
I don't feel good about it, at all. We can't even end corruption here...so why are we always kidding ourselves in thinking that we can end corruption every where else? We can't, were incapable of it. Look at our country right now, and my point is proven.
I think what really needs to be done in Afghanistan, is to end their Heroin production for good. We can't change a mindset, but we can change their way of making a living. That in turn destroys millions of lives. And if they start their production up again, turn their sand into glass...without warning. Bring them all home, now!!
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
The U.S. military should get out of Afghanistan immediately. The only difference between staying there for 20 years or 20 more minutes is the number of dead military and civilians. It is an exercise in futility. Bring the troops home and cut pentagon spending by 50% within 3 years. It is time the defense contractors felt the pinch and stop the service members from feeling the pain. While we are at it bring how about a total withdrawal from Iraq? Korea? Europe? Bring them home and put them on the border with that failed state Mexico.
Huntington Beach, CA
SURE! If they paid us, FAT CHANCE. stay in there, HAPPY FATHERS DAY,
Keeping a military force in Afghanistan for decades would only supply human targets for the enemy to shoot. President Karzai has already said we are not welcome and wants us to leave. We should believe him and leave immediately. We have the largest deficit ever and Afghanistan is a big reason why we are in debt. But if it is true that Afghanistan has trillions of dollars of minerals we need then money trumps everything. That is what we fight for today and put our soldiers lives on the line for. All we have to do is look at to reel reason we invaded Iraq, it was for the oil they have and nothing else.
I would feel like we were continuing to waste money that we don't even have on a pointless boondoggle.
Look, we're not the only superpower anymore. Let China do something for once.
Considering both government corruption and the fact the Afghans don't seem to want to fight for their own country, there is no reason to stay there. We should also look at leaving Germany and saving the cost of keeping troops there.
Richard
San Diego
I am strongly againatwould even vote for a Republican if it wopuld avoid it. The country is tribal; has been for centuries and is not changing. The government os corrupt and has np real; inyrest in human rights. There is no reason to stay. Those who want to stay, say the Talaban will take over. I doubt it but so what, we can kibk them out again in six months if necessary. Buy up the popy crop, bribe the local chiefs and we have neturalized Afganastan.
Western democracy doesn't have a chance against a thousand years of War Lords. We should bail out and cut our losses. The Muslim mentality will never grasp the concept of democracy as the Quran will never permit it. If ever there was a situation of throwing money down a rat hole this is it. Not to mention the loss of American lives.
From a Vietnam Vet,
Gerry
Ash Fork, Az.
Hello Jack,
How about bringing ALL our troops home? How about giving them jobs building our infrastructure; schools, libraries, roads, bridges [ even if they're to nowhere], securing our borders? How about spending all those tax dollars here instead of losing them to countries that hate us? Maybe we can even have some left over to give our war vets the proper care they deserve.
Carlos M. M.
Pasadena, Calif
Jack,
What else is new? We've had a base in Cuba since the Spanish American war (1898). We've had troops in Germany and Japan since the end of WWII (1945). Our ally South Korea is still technically at war with North Korea, and yup, we've still got troops there. We are going to have soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan forever.
Jack,
We must do one of 2 things; either maintain some type of combat capable presence in country or have the will and resources to return when things get ugly.....and it will get ugly again if US troops leave. The Taliban are resilient and determined and the Afghan government is corrupt and unable to maintain security throughout the nation. We must deny Al-Qaeda safe haven until it no longer is an international threat.
That would be an idiotic idea, actually.
Americus, GA Personally, I am tired of the U.S. military being used as a "police force" around the world. We have "cherry picked" which foreign squabbles we want to involve ourselves in and sell it to the general public as the promotion of democratic values around the world. While I fully support our military, I think our reach has exceeded our grasp! Afghanistan is one of several countries who seem to be in a perpetual state of war, what makes us believe WE can fix their problems.
Mr. Cafferty:
Terrible, but how would it differ from the decades of previous presence in Afghanistan militarily or by the CIA, or by the FBI, or by the Czar(s) of foreign policy manipulation? Right, all of this is something new. I have to go now, I just read some of the Constitution and I cannot see to type anymore.
It stinks! Our military empire has a presence in 60 different countries. We are broke because the lions share of spending goes into those foreign adventures. One wonders how many jobs that money spent at home could create. One thing for sure as is death and taxes, it provides jobs in 60 countries.
It would suit me just fine as long as we coordinate this with the removal of troops from Gernmany and South Korea.
How about dropping a "Fat Boy" instead?!
jack why used are amry to hepl other will are courty in bad shape so i think our govermnet needs to sited down and work hard woft cool shown by the way
I woud just as soon bomb it from afar, Pakistan, Iran and so on. When does the billions we pay in these actions become a threat to the security of the United States? Now! If they don't play by the rules then turn the sand to glass. I'll bet you only have to do it to one!
Sure, why not. We have had a military presence in Korea, Japan, Germany , the Phillipines and other countries for decades. Add another country, what the heck. Just send the bill to congress and have them pay for it out of their salaries. Seriously, we need to bring the troops home. Bin Laden is dead – mission accomplished.
Trying for decades to force people to do things they don't want to do will make me feel more threatened by retaliations and much, much poorer.
In my opinion maintaining a military presence in Afghanistan, would be a waste of good lives, money and hardware, why do we feel the need to do this around the world.
We are still in Germany, hello, Hitler is dead, honest, we are still in Japan, they surrendered too; to me this is all a complete waste of tax payer money and serves no real purpose, on top of which look at the savings this country would be making, even my six year old can work that out, however, congress seems to struggle with it, or is their a hidden agenda, no surely not, putting companies before the people of this great nation, slap my wrist for suggesting such a thing.
Afghanistan bankrupted Russia after their 10 year involvement. We've been over there going on 10 years and seems like it is having the same effect on America. We wouldn't be in the economic mess we are if we weren't wasting all the money we throw at Afghanistan and Iraq and their corrupt governments, but instead used it to help America and it's citizens.
Spokane, Washington
We've had troops in Korea for 60 years so we might as well keep more troops in Afganistan for 60 years. What else would you expect from our politicians. All they care about is getting reelected. Their view is to let the next guy worry about it. Sad, sad, sad!
My idealistic side likes the idea, but my realistic side says somebody has to babysit those clowns since we depend on oil from the region and stability has to be maintained to support oil company profits. If we ever pull our heads out of our backsides and replace fossil fuels with more sensible alternatives then we can leave the Middle East to continue their never-ending wars. Until then we are pretty much stuck thanks to the oil companies that have no intention of changing the status quo, for decades, despite their claims of great investments in research for alternate forms of energy in their TV ads.
Jack so far there have been over 19,629 people killed in Afghanistan. This includes Afghan troops, Afghan civilians, U.S. troops, coalition troops, contractors and 11 journalists. The total number injured is over 48,644. Now I ask you. When is enough enough? How many more thousands must die before our government realizes that the plan is not working? How many more billions of dollars will our government be flushing down the toilet fighting a war that has no solution, no end date and little or no direction? No Jack its not OK to stick around another 10 years and another 19,000 lives.
just who appointed the USA to be supervisors of the world?? no country has a military presence in ours so what gives us the right to occupy another country. far past time to bring our troops home, close miltary bases around the world and take care of business at home!
National Defense. Do we have a border with Afghanistan? Nope... so we should not be there.
How would I feel ??
About the same as waking up daily to a sunrise. Not at all surprised. It's what our government does well........................engage in skirmishes all over the globe to waste precious lives, pour tax payer money down the drain, and take the focus off real and relevant issues at home, which multiply at warp speed.
Sad and pathetic.
yeah, Jack – we've done this for decades in S Korea, Germany, Japan and Antartica – never have really been threatened by those countries , so it could work – only problem is those proposing this evidently have never read or studied the history of the region – if they had, they would know it is a total waste of manpower and dollars that we do not have – reminds me of the Roman garrisons in England 2100 years ago !
get all the boots out of the middle east, while they still wear two. They have been killing each other for hundreds of years, they are not afraid to die,and they burn and stone children. Wait and buy oil from the winners.
Jim from Michigan
At the beginning of the decades I would feel overtaxed, at the end of the decades I would feel very old and overtaxed.
Any country that wants a permanent US military presence should be prepared to pay for it under a contract for policing services. This should include Japan, Germany and Korea where we support local economies with military paychecks and purchases of supplies and services.
We just can't keep picking up the tab to base US forces on foreign soil.
Our governement is insane and we seem to agree with them.I dont want any wars right thinking finds answer not proplems .It cannt keep going along like this our country will be broke never to be first rate again .To me Obama has lied to us growing lie after lie I say the time is near to our end times chock paree anderson in
Haven't we already done that in Japan, Germany and Korea (at least)? Aren't we going to be staying in Iraq forever, at least to guard Fort Bush? So why shouldn't we end up staying in Afghanistan for decades to support the corrupt government Bush and company put into power?
Not in Afghanistan, not anywhere. Does our government really think that will keep us safe from terrorism, really? Or do we just want to boss the world around, (note to government: the people do not want to boss the world around). Perhaps the military could be used better on our own borders (note 2 to government: Has anyone checked the US/Mexican border lately?) or checking containers coming into our ports. How about having them help the people in this country who have been hit by the devasting destruction of natural disasters. Not to mention the treatment the vets get here by our government after going to Iraq/Afghanistan, Vietnam etc. etc. etc.
If memory serves me correctly Jack, with the exception of Viet Nam we have remained in every country we ever invaded. I was born in the late 1940s Jack and the US Department of Defence as been dormant. However, the US Department of Offense has been the busiest in the world by far. No need for the public to comment on polical wars because the government will do what it wants to. Congress and the pentagon have no interest in public opinions.
Considering I have been against bases in Germany, Korea and even outer space, take a guess Jack, and I would bet I'm one in a vast majority.
Now, if I was a top contributing drug cartel? Hell yes I'd want the government to protect my interests. You figure the inference.
As a reired military person I think it is a mistake. The only way this would work in Afghanistan would be to make a DMZ type border, simulair to Korea, at the Afghanistan and Pakistan border. We need to get out. The US needs to stop trying to police the world. Even when we do Military intervention with United Nations, it's the US who foots over 80% of the bill, just look at the Liyba conflict.
Thanks SSG Wilson [ret] St.Louis,MO
That would prove the military industrail complex runs the country.
It proves we will go to war for money.
I can't stand the fact that the U.S. maintains a presence in so many countries. Why do we have to be the police, security, social workers, etc. for all these countries especially when we're suffering so badly here? Do these countries even want and appreciate our efforts....I don't think so!
At this point, after a bloody decade, I feel it might be easier to move America into Afghanistan than to keep our soldiers for indefinite time.
"You had better not! Serial killing: is a crime anywhere on my space."
Its unnecessary waste of resources and sacrifice if lives, its about time the afghan government come clean and get more accountable, secure a strong army with the embezzled funds and let our boys return home now.
we are tired of trying to defend a people who are not interested in improving on their lot and prefer relying.
Though I love and pity Afghans its time they are taught how to fish for themselves and let our boys return.
No way Jack! That would unfair to American citizens for many, many reasons. But mostly for this one, these people in these countries like Afganistan or Libya or Syria ect. say on a daily basis how much they hate America and wish for our demise. Not to mention how much they hate our ways of basic human freedoms. Yet at the first sign of trouble in there countries they cry for us to come save them from the crazy leaders they have in place and aren't willing to give up the power they have. So to show the little people who has the power they send out there minions to slaghter all there own people. And then not only do they want the American military to come save them they also want the american dollars. And I for one am tired of bailing out these people. They can't have it both ways any more. it's not fair to us we have our own problems.
Jennifer, New Jersey
I think we know how Americans feel about this, never going to happen
no matter how this adminisration tries to scare us into beleiving it needs to happaen for our nations security. The American Military Industrial Complex are clearly war mongers and prophiteers. You really think we feel threatened by a bunch of Arabs living in an area roches won't live in. Clearlly change we can't beleive in.
I was a fan of the "Biden Plan" from the start. A long term counter-terrorism presence will be needed unless we want to abandon Afghanistan to the Taliban... again! The current counter-insurgency mission is too expensive to be sustainable and doesn't seem to be making much progress. The reason we went there in the first place (bin Laden) is gone so let's bring most of the troops home now!
As long as Al quaeda and the Taliban are still present in Afghanistan, I am fine with maintaining presence. These people want to kill Americans! They need to be held under control.
Dameron, MD
Jack, if I had my way, we wouldn't even be there another hour! It is a quagmire. In many ways, it does remind me of Vietnam. For instance, not knowing friend from foe, enemies without borders, and an incompetent and corrupt government that we insist upon propping up, all the while fighting and losing our children with no clearly defined end game. What would it be? All the adversaries dead? Pipe dream. The Afghan government stable and supported by the people? Fantasy. These Afghans are Tribal, and are hundreds of years behind modern civilization. Mentally, emotionally, and logically, they are, in general, a backward people. Our leaders are insane if they think that being there is sound policy. But, I don't have much faith in the leadership doing the right thing, so there you have it.
How broke do we have to make ourselves before someone offers us
foreign aid? Cy Arlington, VA
Jack, I would feel about as comfortable with that as I would be if the Afghanistan army set up a military post right here in MY country! Why can't our leaders wrap their heads around that concept?
that would be unacceptable !!
Bad,bad,bad. We need to get out of that hell hole. That's an uninhabitable planet as far as I'm concerned. If we got out of that god forsaken place the Taliban will have to find new people to kill or a new hobby. That would be culture shock for them.
They don't even deserve our presence on there ground. If we continue to have problems with them we should just send in special ops to clean them up. End of story.
The Guardian better be wrong! The American people don't want Any part of long time security partnership with Afghanistan. Bring our troops home. I have recently read that we are fighting the wrong country to begin with. Pakistan is truly our enemy and takes our money and betrays us. Get out of that whole area of the world and let our troops enjoy some of this so called "Freedom" they've been fighting for -right here on American soil. No More" Boots on the Ground" over there.
It 's mind-blowing. I guess they bought Colin Powell's premise that "if you break it, you own it", even though he was talking just about Iraq. Unfortunately, America destroys any country that it invades militarily.
It's difficult to say if America is unwittingly following the terrorist's agenda for certain bankruptcy, or whether the so-called military-industrial complex forces the American government to make these incredible decisions to ensure decades of armaments profit.
What difference does it make? Our country has been overthrown by the rich and the military industrial complex. Nothing we think matters much anymore.
73% of the voters want out of aghanistan but both the dems and pubs in congress want to stay forever just like mccain said. Mccain told the truth obama lied. The only way to get out of aghanistan, pakistan, iraq, germany, libya, kuwait, barain, korea, and japan is to elect ron paul. If you want endless wars, occupations, and assassinations re-elect obama. Obama is a war monger and it is time the media called him what he is.
About the same as I do of the other 761 bases in 38 countries around the world. It's all right to have a presence, it's war that we don't like and particularly when it is created with out a budget. And America can thank the Republican leadership for that.
No, no and no. We need to have Afghans take control of their own country much sooner than decades of our presence there. In the meantime they will need education and communication devices so that they can be awakened to the possibilities that they can lead their country toward. I am positive that they are intelligent people and willing to take responsibilty. Um, who is going to bring the education and communication devices to them? How about the companies that will benefit from selling those devices?
Carolyn Morro Bay, CA
Jack;
You're joking, right?
We should bring our troops back not only from
Afghanistan now, but also the troops from Japan, Korea, Iraq, and Europe. WWII ended 66 years ago, why are there troop still in Europe and Japan? Doesn't anyone know we are a bankrupt third world country?
Resignation.
This is not America policing the world.
It is an Empire demanding ever bigger annual deficits.
This has always been America's fate–total and complete bankrupcy.
Resignation!
Jack, isn't anyone in Washington D.C. aware of what ten years of war did to a country formerly known as Russia?
We should leave now and put our military to work salvaging the states that have been destroyed by flooding and tornadoes.
This is the silliest question ever.
Taxpayers hate it, but when did D.C. ever listen to us?
I guess that opium is as valuable as oil.
Jack,
We have costly problems of our own to deal with. It's time to bring the troops home, and use the money we save to either pay down our debt or invest in strengthening our economic future.
Sickened. Afghanistan is the graveyard of failed foriegn policies. We should get out immediately.
On the bright side (if there is one) at least the soldiers aren't unemployed and sleeping under a bridge here, or being called names if they take assistance from the government.
Have you heard the names they call the less fortunate among us? It's very unchristian, but they do it anyway.
When you go to war you don't go to "Nation Building". You invade, use massive force to accomplish your mission and come home. Let them rebuild their own country, set up their own government and steal their own money.
Who is making money in these wars ? We lost the war in Vietnam after we lost 60,000 boys For what.? Obama lost my vote when he sent another 30,000 in Afghanistan. Last year we lost 499 Americans troops , It just another road to bankruptcy.
Makes more sense to have a presence there than it does to have one in Iraq. I'm sorry, why are we still in Japan and Germany?
Let's bring our troops home today! The money being spent in an endless engagement can be better spent shoring up the home front.
Besides once the factions get through killing themselves over there maybe we won't have too much to worry about. After all Congress voted to create a Navy in 1794 to protect our commerce (look it up) from the briggins raiding our ships off of North Africe, sounds like not much has changed......don't you think. We could give it back to the British, Lord Balfour and all that,......
We need to bring our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan immediately. We're spending money that we don't have and here at home our bridges, interstate highways, and other infrastructure is crumbling. Our people are out of work. It's time the Executive and Congressional branches of government wake up and smell the coffee, the pot is almost empty and it's scorching on the bottom of the carafe.
I feel horrible about it. Afghanistan is nothing but a drain on our military budget and continuing to maintain a long term military presence there would only continue to cripple our economy. We need to let Aghanistan and other countries take care of themselves because our involvement overseas only irritates terrorists that are hellbent on our destruction.
Gee Jack, why did you not bring forth these issues when the US attacked Iraq? We should withdraw all troops and foreign aid to all other countries in the world. Period.
Joe, Vestal, NY
Jack,
The idea of us occupying another country for decades bothers me quite a bit, however it doesn't really matter because it won't happen. Within "decades", our imperialism and money-printing will catch up with us, and we won't be able to afford anything, be it Medicare, Social Security, or troops all over the world.
Hi Jack!
Simply said – "IT'S A SIN!!!"
Best regards,
Bruce
CA
Well, I'm so glad we elected a president whose plan was eliminate the number of troops overseas. We should NOT leave troops overseas for decades to come. It's not what anyone wants.
Get out, Get out, Get Out. Set an office up for John McCain there and fight the war covertly.
Maintaining a presence in Afghanistan for decades is something Americans should be prepared to accept. The mission of nation buiding in the Islamic world is far more complex than many were initially led to believe. If we stay, no matter how long it takes, we will inevitably shape the nation and the region. If we leave we ensure that our mission (the removal of safe havens for terror networks) has failed and those that fought on its behalf have died in vain.
-Meric Ajami
Portland, Oregon
I don't want to hear about a 'sizable and sustained reduction' I want to hear that ALL of our troops are coming home now. It's all too clear that we never had a good reason for being there in the first place. Iraq and Afganistan have both been a tremendous waste of money and a horrible waste of lives.
Forget it!! We got bin laden so lets get out. Lets leave on a high note instead of leaving with our tail between our legs like the british and the soviets.
The US want to dominate foriegn policy throughout the world, but have the gut to follow anything through. It just depend on what mood our country is in to day. We flip flop back and forth all the time.
David
We need to remove ourselves completely from that country. Our number one objective was to root out Bin Laden and we have completed that task. Our focus now (and has been for years) is battling the Taliban and the local Poppy Farmers. That is not our battle to fight. As an Afghanistan Vet who spent 14 consecutive months in Afghanistan, I can tell you that we are wasting large amount of US Taxpayer Dollars. We need to bring our troops home and spend the money on our own people. The US should not be the World Babysitter. Let's start taking care of our own....
We should bring our troops home from all bases overseas in the world.
we can train for every type of war in our own country and be very air mobile.
I think that shouldn't even be a question until we can stabilize our economy. Why focus on a foreign country when we have problems in our own back yard? The US maintaining a military presence in Afghanistan would lead to TRILLIONS of dollars spent elsewhere when they could have been spent on rectifying the economic crisis.
Jack, why are you asking how we would feel about staying in Afghanistan? It really doesn't matter how we feel about it, if there's money to be made we'll stay, if there isn't then we'll leave. It doesn't matter one iota how Americans feel about it.
Dave from Peterborough, NH.
Sure, why not. By implementing the Ryan Medicare voucher plan , raising the retirement age and cutting Social Security we should have plenty of money to fund military action in Afghanistan & Iraq for many more decades.
Jack, McCain said we were going to be their for a hundred years,remember,remember.Now during the N.H. debate a FATHER from N.H. WHO HAS 3 boys in the military asked when his children are going to come home............Romney did not say anything new ...he has 5 boys who did not volunteer for this war that hes so gung ho for..
but yet this is the same mormon family that are against gays serving
openly in the military............EXUSE ME .......EXCUSE ME....THE GAY MEN IN THIS COUNTRY ..REPRESENT THE REAL MEN IN THIS COUNRY......AND SO MUCH FOR ..MICHELLE BACHMAN EXPLOITING HER 25 FOSTER CHILDREN..for a pitch for the presidency....WOW .wow wow here we go again the churches of america rounding up orphans in the name of god and jesus to only
brainwash them for their political advanage..... get out of this war!!!
I don't even feel good about allowing the country of Afghanistan to exist for decades. It should be partitioned, with the Pashtun and Baluchistan areas made independent states and the Tajik and Uzbek areas ceded to neighbors. The Pashtun areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan should be merged or given to Pakistan, provided they hand over what is left of al Queda or kill it themselves. If they do either, we should leave.
Why should Afghanistan be any different than South Korea Manila Okinawa Germany England Saudi Arabia and so on. Basically we base troops all over in preparation for war and you know that. So your question is really just rabble rousing against the admin or are you calling for a worlwide troop withdrawal.
Bring ALL of our troops home from the middle east then nuke em, end of problem.
There's no chance that we can afford the financial and human price required for a continued presence in Afghanistan. The government will never sacrifice the personal cost of abandoning corruption, the people will never understand spiritual difference between dedication to country and religion, and the region will never give up the propaganda campaign against America to diminish its foothold in the region. We have lost so much, and if Iraq is any example we should let the people choose their own destiny.
I say it can't be avoided we have to make sure that the taliban don't
return and put down any freedoms slowly built up. However we can't occupy them forever. We must make sure minorities have rights while making sure we allow traditions to continue. We also have to consider the fact the US will run out of money in early August we must fight a war on ignorence with weapons of knowledge, books are must cheaper then guns.
Crazy, why not have them come home and protect the entire US borders, we need to help our country and make it stronger.
Everyone that I know is against further military spending in the middle east. Bring our troops home and stop trying to force democracy on these tribal societies. It is a waste of time and money.
I think we should withdraw our forces as soon as possible! WHY ARE WE STILL THERE??
We're spending money that we don't have and here at home our bridges, interstate highways, and other infrastructure is crumbling. People are out of work, its a mess out there. If what this British paper reports is true im moving to Africa.
Cameron
How do I feel about it??? I'm sick of it. If Obama, Pelosi and Reid want someone to stay there...let them move there! But bring ALL our service and military personnel HOME NOW!
If they told us what were fighting for, probably could give u an answer. But even then its a lie. So...
If Afganistan is "the Saudi Arabia of lithium," and eletric cars are our future we will "fight terrorism" for decades.
Jack,
Thanks for you continued "Honesty in the Media."
As far as Afghanistan is concerned... My son is getting ready to be deployed to support the war in the fall. I feel that commiting to building a base might offer him some security in the "long-run..."
But... I really think we should just simply get the hell out while the gettins good.
Everybody else is fighting for their own FREEDOM.
Let them fight for their own freedom... just like most of the rest of the free world has. Maybe then they will apreciate it...?
Much Love... Peace.
Over 4000 bridges in Pennsylvania are deficient and need repair. Should we be spending billions in Afghanistan instead of repairing our own infrastructure in PA and the rest of the country and creating more jobs and stimulating the economy...Should I go on? Govt just doesn't get it. We want OUT!
It's time to stop being the rich uncle of the world and concentrate on our own problems here in the US. Maybe it's time to do away with the USIAD agency and mayne even the Peace Corps.
As we sacrifice our soldier's lives in foreign lands, our nation is going broke and Americans are homeless and going hungry. And we give Afghanistan (and other nations) billions and billions of dollars? We keep rebuilding foreign nations while Americans are without jobs, losing their homes, and standing in lines at food banks, We should be rebuilding America. Why are we still in Germany, Japan and elsewhere? It seems once we get into a nation, we never leave unless we're thrown out. When did America get so stupid and crazy?
Our U.S. military is in approximately 150 countries around the World that should be more than enough to put us in the "Guinness Book of Record" without adding Afghan.
There's no chance that we can afford the financial and human price required for a continued presence in Afghanistan. The government will never sacrifice the personal cost of abandoning corruption, the people will never understand spiritual difference between dedication to country and religion, and the region will never give up the propaganda campaign against America to diminish its foothold in the region. We have lost so much, and if Iraq is any example we should let the people choose their own destiny.
Absolutely not !!!
Ron Paul 2012
i feel average since it's the order of things, contingents troops always stay behind after the job is done. We still keep troops in Germany, Italy, and England and the Cold War is over; and most likely the other 47 countries of the ISAF will still be in the country as well.
I dont understand why we never learn from those who went before us.......I dont want to be there any longer than it takes to say "anchors away"....Didnt want to be there to start with...the Afghani Gov. is corrupt, the people are illiterate.....I think it is dumb to want to Nation build in Iraq and Afghanistan, when ours is falling apart......Duh.....
Tucson, AZ – The United States has a "military presence" in hundreds of countries – every US embassy is guarded by a platoon of US Marines! The current war plan for Afghanistan includes major reductions next year – if we just stick to the plan, we will be out of there shortly afterward also.. Afghanistan has huge untapped mineral wealth that will eventually make it a wealthy rather than a poor country. It is in US interest to assure that those strategic minerals are available to us when the time comes. As for Iraq, that war is over – we will leave there in December unless their parliament votes for asking us to stay. Our involvement in Libya is not a war, at least, it is not OUR war – no US troops, no US combat missions, no special US deployment, and no US casualties. Don't forget, the Korean War is not over, merely in a 30 year truce – are we going to pull out of there too? GET REAL! We have enough real issues to worry about without trying to make more of these than there is to them. Congress may have the power to declare a state of war, but the President is obligated to conform with every ratified mutual defense treaty whether Congress declares war or not.
We should leave yesterday. We are there to keep the opium poppies growing and the heroin flowing. Record harvests have occured every year we have been there. Somebodies making alot of money on this . It aint the Aghans, so who is it? Terrorists and the US govt thats who . This insures perpetual war which the ruling parties love..
Jack, They say everything will end. Well it's time to end our presence and bring ALL of ours brave men and women home! God knows we've been there long enough!
If anyone has any concern about if that's the right decision. All they need to do is look back at Vietnam. We didn't leave any there and "THEY ARE DOING JUST FINE"!!! You think that should tell us something?????????
Jesse
California
What's up Jack! Well, I'm one of the opinion that the U.S. should stay in the Middle East, or more specifically Afghanistan, for years to come, or at least until the cultural mindset of that Afghan society changes to a more Democratic orientated perspective and less of a extreme Fundamental Islamic belief system of jihad and living ones live in accordance to Hajj perspective. The U.S. (in setting up military bases in foreign territory) should do what they did with communism in the 70's, (granted, it wasn't was affected as one hoped) of being a presence in a region, whereby affecting the societies' cultural perspective, educational system, and providing an altering view of society in an attempt to steer the mob's mindset from extreme Fundamental Islamic beliefs as a basis for daily to life to a more culturally based belief system, with religion being just a part of society coupled with the many diverse activites a society and culture posseses. Yes, war and military presences is expensive but so is fear and if the mindset of the Middle East can be altered from that of Extreme Fundamentalist Religious Islamic Jihadist to a society that is culturally orientated and less based on seeking revenge, then maybe the world will be a safer place to reside and a military base presence in Afghanistan for years to come is worth the expenses, maybe!
Yee Gads. We still have thirty thousand troops in Korea after sixty years. South Korea is advanced technically and economically, but we continue to act as if it is our job to protect them from their neighbors.
Bring all the troops home. George Washington was right about avoiding foreign entanglements.
Rory from Bluffton, SC
Jack I am disgusted. Was it just a few months ago that every one and their mother was getting on the president for placing a line in the sand for a withdrawal out of Afghanistan. Now all of a sudden Congress and members of the public are demanding that exact course of action now. What has changed? The legislative branch and the American people must decide what direction they want this country to take. Counter insurgency warfare takes a long time to get right and a lot of resources. Once it is started, it must be completed or the initiator will always be viewed as weak. This effort is not a video game, you don't just turn war on and off. It is more complicated than that. If the public and Congress did not have the stomach to see this through they should have never supported this effort. This problem is not the fault of the President. The blame falls squarely on the back of a fickled Congress and American public.
I have always thought this was another Viet Nam from day one. Hello! Haven't we learned anything from Korea, Viet Nam? Just leave. Our noble efforts to create a democracy in a tribal, barbarian environment is not only naive but ignorant, stupid and very expensive. Don't we have more urgent issues at home, e.g. southern borders? Get out of there, and by the way, stop giving out my tax dollars to the likes of Pakistan, etc. Enough!
Although I have a marine son, who is soon to be deployed to Afghanistan, the US Treasury is currently attempting to foreclose on my home for taxes I never owed, while at the same time putting my son's life at risk. Basically, I am losing my home, so the government sends the money to Afghanistan??? What's wrong with this picture?
When the idiots we have running this country realize that the people in most of the middle east countries especially Afghanistan are about one inch above a caveman, we need to get out and stay out, inform the entire region that one terrorist attack against the United States will result in their country becoming one giant sand pile
We need to get all our combat troops out of Afganistan and Iraq. Afganistan is an unwinnable war and Iraq needs to get on with their own country.
And by the way, we need to drastically reduce our troop strength in Germany, Japan and Korea. It is time to consentrate on helping our own people back home.
I think maintaining a presence there is INSANE!
A while back on the news we were told that Afganstan had precious metals... If true would should get mining rights toi extract them and pay for the war. We were ALSO told that Iraq would pay for their liberation with oil... What happened to that? If no payback withdrawl immediately! It would screw our oil supply for a short time and force drillin here. I'd be willing to have rationing if we STOPPED all the money waste... I also think its past time to recall ALL senators and politicans...
Out, MONDAY, of Afghanistan, Iraq, Europe, and everywhere else we do not have an immediate strategic interest. or as long as it takes to do it safely for our troops, and to take our stuff with us. It is ethical and fiscal madness to do otherwise.
Time to bring our troops home from Afghanistan. After 10 years we have done all we can. The Afghans have to fend for themselves. If they choose the Talaban over a civilised society, their choice. We can do the "foreign aid dance" with them like we do with everyone else, if they have a government friendly to the U.S. Osama Bin Ladin is dead. Come home.
No wonder the World hates Americans, they have a RIGHT too. No matter what puppet is in the white house the same agenda will prevail. Americans are in a Trances and fixated stupidity. Love is not Hate War is not PEACE!
Let us not forget that great world super powers in history of mankind, from the Persian Empire of 2500 years ago to the former Soviet Union of the modern age, fell because of massive military spending and too much involvement in foreign affairs. United States must pay attention to "Rebuilding United States" first, before rebuilding other countries. We need major reforms inside the US right now more than ever. We are falling behind in technology, education, and much more, and we desperately need the money being spent abroad right here at home. It seems like politicians need to go back to college and take one or two world history courses to understand that dedicating a huge chunk of our GDP to military operations is a gradual suicide. May God bless America ...
No Way,
Let them police themselves. We must have a passive style policy in regard to another country especially in Afghanistan. Meaning we get in, obtain the goal and get out. If we stay too long we might as well declare Afghanistan as an unincorporated territory of the United States.
I'll ask YOU a question, Jack. If your children don’t have food on the table, your parents can’t afford their prescriptions, and you are knee-deep in debt – should you spend money on guns and ammo to attack people you’ve never met? Or should you spend everything you have to make things right at home? To the Prez and Congress: it's called PRIORITIES, stupid.
The whole Afghanistan adventure is a monument to US militarism and hubris, and a monumental squandering of US cash and goodwill.
A permanent/semi permanent garrison is just the first step to being dragged into more of the same.
After all Afghanistan borders with China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran and several other smaller states. The slightest mistep in the region would involve the US in more conflicts. Peace in the area should be left to Afghanistan's neighbours. After all they, Russia notwithstanding, likely know the area better than the US has shown it does.
mike, Ottawa
When I flew out of Vietnam in early 1970 I recall how beautiful the land was, a plush rich green contrasted by the deep blue of an unspoiled ocean. Yet I still wept as the plane flew further away from the coastline.
I wept because of the ugliness that was really the war I witnessed on the contrasting land. I wept because of the friends that were not to fly home. I wept because I did not know why my heart was broke and my life crushingly changed.
Today, 41 years later I still do not know why. But I do know that there is no war worth the lives of our young men and women no matter how our leaders spin it, and there should be no war where there is not a why, even this war.
NO!!! No long term presence.
Money made from occupying Afghanistan - Zero
Soldiers currently in Afghanistan - Thousands
Taxmoney wasted in Afghanistan - Millions
Soldier's lives lost in Afghanistan - Priceless
Al Queda is like a weed. You can stop it from growing in one location, but look tomorrow and the same weed is growing in another location.
Let's bring our Soldiers home and occupy our OWN country for a change and work on the prevention of weeds growing here. Enough is enough.
While being asked to foot the bill for the Afghan people may be a tough pill to swallow for many Americans, it's something that we must do. The first time America intervened in Afghanistan, during the Soviet invasion, we funded an extremely successful counterinsurgency–the Mujahedin. Though we were able to keep the Soviets from taking control of Afghanistan, ultimately we failed the Afghan people by failing to fund the building of schools, hospitals, and other such necessities. This failure incidentally allowed the Taliban to fill the power vacuum left in the wake of discontinued US support. The current war in Afghanistan has clearly destabilized the region (look at things in Pakistan if you don't believe or agree with me) and thus it's in our long-term interests to maintain some level of military presence in the region. While I personally disagreed with the troop surges (both under Bush and Obama) sustained military presence in Afghanistan will likely be a better investment than a total pullout.
Part of the reason I voted for Obama was because I was under the impression he was going to pull our troops out and end this ridiculous 'war', 'occupation', whatever you want to call it...
Disenchanted. Disgusted.
We need more jobs in the United States and our taxpayer money to support our economy here in the good old U.S.A. So far we have had little success in training Iraqis and Afghanis to provide their own security because their interests are not necessarily the same as ours. As proven with the removal of bin Laden, we have the capability of assembling and using a strike force to remove the bad guys when necessary, whidh is what we should be doing in Mexico to the drug cartels as well. If big business has interests in other countries let them pay for their own security forces and not with our taxpayer money.
Not very well Jack. Just looking at the logistics of moving the entire country of Afghanistan from it's current 16th century point of cultural reference is mind numbing enough without discussing the cost of funding endemic corruption. News clips of under privliged women and children is are always heart breaking and so are news clips of our own homeless population.
I support Lindsey Graham's vision of building a base there to support our strategic interests, defend and maintain the base, stop there.
If the Afghan govt. doesn't want the base, get out. Karsi (spelling) already has the next move calculated anyway, bring in China, they love avaialble raw natural resources and work well with corruption.
That is nuts why we paying for them to snoot us. We should only give them products that they cannot shoot or sell. No money. IF They don't like it cut them off, We cannot feed the whole world. Look where it's gotten us so far.
'We're not in the business of nation-building', 'we're looking for WMD', 'we will fight them there, so that we won't fight them here', '(oil)resources will pay for the war'.
We were fed these lines by the last administration as justification for getting involved in this quagmire, true or not, whether we believed them or not. Hussein is dead; Bin Laden is dead. Is it mission accomplished yet? No more so than when GWB 'landed' that plane. Whenever any fight starts, no one ever thinks about how it will end. There might be a 'knock-out' punch within the arsenal, but being able to use; land it is a whole different matter. That's the situation we're in when it comes to these 2 conflicts.
Michelle Bachmann is right on target. Why is it that the women politicians have it right.. and the men (except for Ron Paul) all have it wrong about the limits of extending american power especially undeclared wars. Obama needs a good b* slapping for being stupid and unaccountable to the people.
riley oday is correct. Between the industrial military complex, big oil and big banks, they run the country. Instead of telling the temp prez (4yrs or 8yrs) lets tell the permanent heads of the big three mentioned to get out of afghanistan and other countries around the world. Question; If all the troops come home to save money, what jobs would be here for them? Another show for U.S. corporations outsourcing jobs for VERY cheap labor. Greed is good?
Tell me why we can give our tax dollars to a bunch of people who hate us and see us as occupiers? We have a huge problem with our national debt and so cut this money – we need it here.
If we want to prevent Muslim terrorists from having a safe base we will need to leave troops there for a long time. We still have troops in South Korea, Japan and Germany that help protect our national interest. We have even stronger reasons to leave forces Afghanistan. LIndsey Graham's plan is necessary for our national security.
it is a crime; We absolutely cannot, by orders of magnitudes, afford it. It generates terrorists like crazy, and demolishes are credibility in the world. However, it does maintain the covert CIA drug trade which is a huge part of the CIA / black ops budget and contributes to the instability that the Rothschild banking family wants so badly to support their puppet Zionist state.
I would feel completely abandoned by our government and corruption is complete. The "wars" we have initiated were manufactured and Libya is no different. We can wave all the flags we want but it will not change the fact that America has been deceived by its government for reasons of political and corporate greed.
Thom Richer
Negaunee, MI
It seems Jack, that our Presidents believe that we the american people have an inexhaustable supply of money and flesh to give to this corrupt rejime while neglecting our own people. We achieved what we set out to do by killing Bin Laden, we need to get our troops and money out of this country and stop this bleeding of not only our monies but soldiers blood.
Cal Kihei, Maui, Hawaii
out now.
Korea, Germany, the middle East all of it .
Out now
hmmmmm... there is no oil there...(really – you can't blame it on evil oil barrons).... a few minerals maybe that are going to be mined by China and others... not the USA.... ok, the bad guys live there... but wouldn't the bad guys be better dealt with using very small elite forces teams .. and since our ally in the country to south really doesn't seem to want to help us...... isn't it time to admit we've gone "a war too far", "a country too far", "a mountain too far".....and the corrupt Afgan government will not let our troops REALLY DO THE JOB they were sent there to do... Our young men and women are required to fight with the most rediculas rules of engagement one can imagine... The bad dude has a distinct advantage.... The Afgan police and troops are not coming up to snuff..... its crazy....either KICK BUT and finish the job then go home.... or pack our bags, tidy up a little and then go home.... in any event GO HOME...