On Afghanistan, the Pentagon Has Lost the American People

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

On Afghanistan, the Pentagon Has Lost the American People​

Posted: 05/18/2012 2:50 pm

"I can't let this be a war without end, and I can't lose the whole Democratic Party." That was President Obama, describing his Afghan war policy, according to Bob Woodward's 2010 book. But until this moment the Administration is still letting it be a war without end, and the Afghan war policy has lost not only the whole Democratic Party, but a substantial part of the Republican Party as well; the majority of Republican voters, for example.

One thing the Afghan war policy hasn't lost: the GOP leadership. That was demonstrated Wednesday night when the GOP leadership blocked consideration in the House of a bipartisan amendment offered by Democrat Jim McGovern and Republican Walter Jones that would have nailed to the wall the current slippery "timetable" for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

CNN reports:

House Republicans pulled the plug on a vote Thursday on a bipartisan amendment to a defense bill that would force the Obama administration to stick firmly to its timetable for getting U.S. troops out of Afghanistan.
Republicans were concerned the amendment could pass, according to two GOP congressional sources.

There you have it. The reason that the amendment couldn't be allowed to come to a vote was because it could pass. "If voting changed anything, they'd abolish it," an old anarchist saying goes. But this is certainly not the democracy they told us about when we were little. When Schoolhouse Rock sang, "I'm just a bill, sitting on Capitol Hill," do you remember anything about a measure with majority support being throttled by the House leadership? I don't.

But wait! It's not that simple.

One of the Republican sources stressed that there were a combination of factors for not allowing a vote on the timetable proposal, including "a lack of White House engagement." GOP leaders expected a bloc of their own members to support the measure and they couldn't rely on the White House to lobby Democrats against it.

So, now we have a more nuanced view. It's not that the GOP leadership was against voting on the amendment per se. It's that they couldn't trust the White House to break enough Democratic arms to oppose it, because the GOP leadership couldn't stop enough House Republicans from defecting. It all makes sense if you start from the premise that the majority of the House, like the majority of the American people, can't be allowed to have any say, if they insist on disagreeing with the policy that has already been determined by others. Of course, the ideal isn't that they don't have any say; the ideal is that they approve the policy that has already been determined. But, if we can't make them approve the policy that has already been determined, then their say has to be taken away.

But this is not the end of the story:

A frustrated Jones said he would try again to attach the language to the defense spending bill when it comes up. "This is supposed to be the people's House -- that means we listen to the people. How about listening to the 72% of those who say get out of Afghanistan?"

We now know what the Achilles' heel of the current policy is. Until now the Administration has gotten away with a having a two-faced policy: presented to the American people as a timetable for withdrawal, but understood by the Pentagon and the Republican leadership as allowing tens of thousands of U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan forever. Now we know how to kill the Pentagon's fantasy of keeping tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Afghanistan forever: nail the Administration's pseudo-timetable for withdrawal to the wall.

Follow Robert Naiman on Twitter: Robert Naiman (@naiman) on Twitter

Robert Naiman: On Afghanistan, the Pentagon Has Lost the American People

 

[VCheng]

The majority of Americans think that the primary objective of the Afghanistan war was met by the killing of OBL, and thus the rest is a mopping up operation, which is also nearly complete. It would be difficult to sell any prolongation after 2014, unless some other event affects the WoT substantially.

 

[lem34]

they lost in Iraq and blame Iran. They lost in Afghanistan and blame Pakistan. maybe a time for introspection for Americans

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

It would be difficult to sell any prolongation after 2014, unless some other event affects the WoT substantially.

The Republicans and the US 'Deep State' appear to be trying their best to 'sell' just that ...

 

[BATMAN]

The majority of Americans think that the primary objective of the Afghanistan war was met by the killing of OBL, and thus the rest is a mopping up operation, which is also nearly complete. It would be difficult to sell any prolongation after 2014, unless some other event affects the WoT substantially.

How can Americans believe on a very non transparent episode,,, where logic does not support the fed story.

Why shot him (OBL) dead?

 

[VCheng]

The Republicans and the US 'Deep State' appear to be trying their best to 'sell' just that ...

Please keep in mind that this is an election year, and Republicans want to unseat the incumbent. Much will be said and done that is mere electioneering, so cannot be regarded as robust. There is already a deal to keep a reduced number of forces in Afghanistan till at at least 2014, so there is plenty of time to see what needs to be done, if anything, in that theater after 2014.

 

[Rod of God]

they lost in Iraq and blame Iran. They lost in Afghanistan and blame Pakistan. maybe a time for introspection for Americans

Iran HASN'T been supplying I.E.D.'s ? Pakistan HASN'T been double dealing us ? Despite those two FACTS, the U.S. 'lost' NOTHING. While I don't agree with the strategy, its safe to say the U.S. flew their army half way around the world, 'took' two countries. stayed as long as they felt like staying and arguably NEVER lost ONE BATTLE. And while one U.S. life, to me, is worth more than the WHOLE of those two countries COMBINED, the U.S. has lost 6400 troops in what amounts to twenty years of war. Not too shabby.

... 'Deep State' ...

HAHAHAHAHA !! Another one of your sinister, shadowy balony mills ?

 

[Rod of God]

How can Americans believe on a very non transparent episode,,, where logic does not support the fed story.

Not everything CAN OR SHOULD be 'TRANSPARENT'. I think that sometime the U.S. 'talks' too much.

Why shot him (OBL) dead?

Cause he was a dick ? It would have been cool to have whacked O.B.L. and not say ANYTHING about it. Just let the world wonder what happened.

 

[khanz]

Iran HASN'T been supplying I.E.D.'s ? Pakistan HASN'T been double dealing us ? Despite those two FACTS, the U.S. 'lost' NOTHING. While I don't agree with the strategy, its safe to say the U.S. flew their army half way around the world, 'took' two countries. stayed as long as they felt like staying and arguably NEVER lost ONE BATTLE. And while one U.S. life, to me, is worth more than the WHOLE of those two countries COMBINED, the U.S. has lost 6400 troops in what amounts to twenty years of war. Not too shabby.




HAHAHAHAHA !! Another one of your sinister, shadowy balony mills ?

spin it anyway you want but sorry you've failed in afghanistan the common afghan masses can't wait to kick you out heck nowdays your people being are being blown up by the afghan army itself and your even making deals with the taliban who not only you have failed to destory but is actually stronger than ever maybe you don't know but there is a very good reason karzai is nicknamed mayor of kabul lol heck if your so confident that you've "won" than afghanistan should be safe and stable shouldn it ? so I DARE YOU why don't you come to afghanistan without army protection or hiding to prove me wrong ? we will know how confident you guys are in your "victory" depending on your answer.
and your comment about one U.S life being worth more than entire 2 countries to you i'm not surprised thats how you think it the same sick mentality behind your army has comitted so many war crimes and massacres it's coz life is so cheap to you and shows why you guys never have and never will be the "good guys" anyone with an ounce of humanity will understand what i'm talking about.

 

[Rod of God]

spin it anyway you want but sorry you've failed in afghanistan the common afghan masses can't wait to kick you out heck nowdays

Sure. They long for the day when the Talibs throw acid in the faces of women who don't cover up enough. They can waltz right beck to the 8th century.

your people being are being blown up by the afghan army itself and your even making deals with the taliban who not only you have failed to destory but is actually stronger than ever

There is no such thing as an 'Afghan Army'. These people are too inept to even defend themselves. Besides, the U.S. DIDN'T go there to kill the Taliban. Al Qaeda are what we're after. And it looks like we did a decent job of whacking out those geeks, even though our 'friends' the Pakistanis were BACK-STABBING us.

maybe you don't know but there is a very good reason karzai is nicknamed mayor of kabul

Karzai will be skinned alive when the U.S. leaves because the so-called 'Afghan Army' is a joke. They'll throw down their guns and run home once the U.S. leaves.

lol heck if your so confident that you've "won" than afghanistan should be safe and stable shouldn it ? so I DARE YOU why don't you come to afghanistan without army protection or hiding to prove me wrong ? we will know how confident you guys are in your "victory" depending on your answer.

It's impossible to 'win' the way you want to describe 'win' when the Afghan people are too feeble and lazy to even protect themselves. If they want to live in the 8th century, I say 'Let them' ! I was never for wasting U.S. lives and money on 'those' people. We should have NEVER occupied Afghanistan. We should have just gone there with a special ops based 'game plan', killed those that needed killing and left those people to live their stone-aged lives.

and your comment about one U.S life being worth more than entire 2 countries to you i'm not surprised thats how you think it the same sick mentality behind your army has comitted so many war crimes and massacres it's coz life is so cheap to you and shows why you guys never have and never will be the "good guys" anyone with an ounce of humanity will understand what i'm talking about.

I'll stand by that Iraq and Afghanistan weren't worth one U.S. life or the money we spent. Truthfully, those people mean nothing to me one way or the other. That doesn't mean I want to run out and kill them all. It just means I'd rather not be bothered with them at all. Maybe we should have hacked some heads off and put it on T.V. like the Talibs did ? How'd that be ? I DON'T WANT to be the 'GOOD GUYS'. We've found out often that the 'good guy' gets the shaft. Next time there is some kind of crisis, call the Russians or Chinese to save your bacon. See how that works out for you.

 

[pari.mehta]

Cause he was a dick ? It would have been cool to have whacked O.B.L. and not say ANYTHING about it. Just let the world wonder what happened.

PLEASE, the word is STRATEGIC ASSET.Not terrorist, A-hole, mass murderer, killer of more muslims than non muslims, or d*ck.

here,

Cause he was a strategic asset? It would have been cool to have whacked O.B.L. and not say ANYTHING about it. Just let the world wonder what happened.

Its lovely how the problem here is transparency not osama bin laden being found in pakistan.
The problem is HOW the seals shot him in the face under the nose of the pakistani army steps away from their Nda or West point.

 

[Banu Umayyah]

They long for the day when the Talibs throw acid in the faces of women who don't cover up enough

So now Americans care about the well being of Afghani women?
So killing their husbands and children is better than how the Talibans treated them?
If the US really cared about them there are much better ways then invading and occupying the country for 15 years and losing thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars.

The US may have not lost a single military battle but it lost the entire both wars!! Iraq now belongs to Iran and Afghanistan will again at least partially be controlled by the Taliban. The stupidity of America's strategic planners is unparalleled in modern history.

 

[lem34]

Iran HASN'T been supplying I.E.D.'s ? Pakistan HASN'T been double dealing us ? Despite those two FACTS, the U.S. 'lost' NOTHING. While I don't agree with the strategy, its safe to say the U.S. flew their army half way around the world, 'took' two countries. stayed as long as they felt like staying and arguably NEVER lost ONE BATTLE. And while one U.S. life, to me, is worth more than the WHOLE of those two countries COMBINED, the U.S. has lost 6400 troops in what amounts to twenty years of war. Not too shabby.


:

I know you have no evidence to support your assertions on Pakistan. I presume the allegations you make the Iranian are similarly not based on any other evidence other than Fox news speculation??

You may have lost 6400 soldiers kia but what about those that have lost limbs/ Is that 40000? What about those that are suffering mental illness in America. You state you have not lost a battle. Well I would say you lost the wars.

PLEASE, the word is STRATEGIC ASSET.Not terrorist, A-hole, mass murderer, killer of more muslims than non muslims, or d*ck.

here,


Its lovely how the problem here is transparency not osama bin laden being found in pakistan.
The problem is HOW the seals shot him in the face under the nose of the pakistani army steps away from their Nda or West point.

Right on the dot the proxy comes into defend his master

I'll stand by that Iraq and Afghanistan weren't worth one U.S. life or the money we spent..

Oh regarding money well spent lol. You now have 1 in 6 on food stamps more than ever before. More than 9.4% unemployed, real inflation running at 18% an unsustainable debt. lol

And the dollar is still just about the reserve currency. Just wait until you lose that privilege which you will its already on a dive within 10 years and you have to work for a living an pay for your food

 

[LeGenD]

they lost in Iraq and blame Iran. They lost in Afghanistan and blame Pakistan. maybe a time for introspection for Americans

Correction: US did not lost in Iraq and Iranian issue is about nuclear weapons.

In case of Afghanistan; focus on the demographics around Durand Line. You will get your answer. Tribal customs is the point here.

The US may have not lost a single military battle but it lost the entire both wars!!

Are muslims blind in general? US accomplished all of its objectives in Iraq.

Iraq now belongs to Iran and Afghanistan will again at least partially be controlled by the Taliban. The stupidity of America's strategic planners is unparalleled in modern history.

Iraq doesn't belongs to Iran. This is a myth propagated by some commoners. Iraq is trying to improve its relations with Iran. Nothing wrong with this.

And US has long term plans for Afghanistan. Taliban might be forced to the negotiation table.

Do not underestimate US Think Tank. US games cannot be easily understood.

I presume the allegations you make the Iranian are similarly not based on any other evidence other than Fox news speculation??

Here is hint for you: Muqtada Al-Sadr

 

[forcetrip]

I'll stand by that Iraq and Afghanistan weren't worth one U.S. life or the money we spent. Truthfully, those people mean nothing to me one way or the other. That doesn't mean I want to run out and kill them all. It just means I'd rather not be bothered with them at all. Maybe we should have hacked some heads off and put it on T.V. like the Talibs did ? How'd that be ? I DON'T WANT to be the 'GOOD GUYS'. We've found out often that the 'good guy' gets the shaft. Next time there is some kind of crisis, call the Russians or Chinese to save your bacon. See how that works out for you.

So burning a pile of women and children after executing them would warrant the "good guys" are on the loose. On the other hand I do know that napalming your enemies hasn't worked in Vietnam either. The nuclear bomb did subdue the Japanese. Maybe the Americans should use the real "good guy" weapons. I am glad you only watch a few specific channels in order to keep your sanity and angelic perception of what war really must be. I will be honest and say that it is not your fault. Why should anyone care for anyone if they live or die. Nothing in life is free, not even compassion.