This is our War

[CENTCOM]

Every so often we simply fail to realize that the terrorists pose as much of a threat to Pakistan as they do to the U.S. Unfortunately, we allow our differences to gain control and then seek refuge in the blame game. The reality is that these terrorists take full advantage of our differences. The question whether this is our war answers itself when you begin separating facts from fiction. Pakistan has lost thousands of innocent civilians and thousands of security personnel to the acts of terror. The truth is that the threat is still prevalent in the region, and we are suffering at the hands of the same terrorists.

Last month an Associated Press reporter and photographer were allowed to follow Pakistani soldiers on the Kalpani base near the Af/Pak border. These brave soldiers are protecting the frontlines under very harsh conditions. One of the soldiers said: "This is my country. I am a Pakistani. I don't see that anyone who destroys our schools, our masjids (mosques), kills people, is good for my country; if they were working for a better Pakistan, we wouldn't be sitting in this post. The people would be supporting them against us." Another soldier said: "They are the enemy. They are not working for Pakistan. They are telling us that we have to do everything their way."

We must ask ourselves if we are supporting our soldiers by taking the attention off the terrorists by regularly highlighting our differences. We should remind ourselves that those protecting the front lines hold no confusion in regards to who poses the threat to our nations. Therefore, the responsibility of holding the obvious miscreants to account also rests with us. We must bring justice to those killed and fully support our forces in eliminating the threat that continues to haunt the region.


Maj David Nevers
DET-United States Central Command
U.S. Central Command

 

[sachin@india]

very well said...now please stop killing innocent afganis.

 

[Leviza]

Every so often we simply fail to realize that the terrorists pose as much of a threat to Pakistan as they do to the U.S. Unfortunately, we allow our differences to gain control and then seek refuge in the blame game. The reality is that these terrorists take full advantage of our differences. The question whether this is our war answers itself when you begin separating facts from fiction. Pakistan has lost thousands of innocent civilians and thousands of security personnel to the acts of terror. The truth is that the threat is still prevalent in the region, and we are suffering at the hands of the same terrorists.

Last month an Associated Press reporter and photographer were allowed to follow Pakistani soldiers on the Kalpani base near the Af/Pak border. These brave soldiers are protecting the frontlines under very harsh conditions. One of the soldiers said: "This is my country. I am a Pakistani. I don't see that anyone who destroys our schools, our masjids (mosques), kills people, is good for my country; if they were working for a better Pakistan, we wouldn't be sitting in this post. The people would be supporting them against us." Another soldier said: "They are the enemy. They are not working for Pakistan. They are telling us that we have to do everything their way."

We must ask ourselves if we are supporting our soldiers by taking the attention off the terrorists by regularly highlighting our differences. We should remind ourselves that those protecting the front lines hold no confusion in regards to who poses the threat to our nations. Therefore, the responsibility of holding the obvious miscreants to account also rests with us. We must bring justice to those killed and fully support our forces in eliminating the threat that continues to haunt the region.


Maj David Nevers
DET-United States Central Command
U.S. Central Command

well how come your army cant see that before you invaded Afghanistan there was no issue in Pakistan, its USA who created all Issues for Pakistan and its being more then 10 years of defeat for USA ...

 

[fd24]

We all support the actions of soldiers - after all they are just doing a job and carrying out instructions of the leaders of the respective lands. We also understand and appreciate and respect what OUR soldiers are doing to protect and to serve our nation.
It becomes a tediously harder job when someone who is supposedly an ally has in their ranks people that decide to commit incredible atrocities. I will give you several examples...
Killing 26 of our jawans on 26/11 - firing blue on blue.
Killing people and keeping fingers of the dead as momentos.
P1ssing on the dead.
Burning the Quran.
Your soldiers going bezerk and killing 16 innocent people in Afghanistani people yesterday.

Please Maj David Nevers - if any of our brave soldiers had carried out the atrocities how would the US of A have responded?
Please before putting automated responses - have a think. How about building bridges in the right manner and for gods sake sort your soldiers and policies out. You are creating deep rooted hatred for you and your troops. We cant judge all Americans in the same manner but your actions leave us with little choice.
Please when talking about "justice to those killed" - look in the mirror and think about your recent actions and the result of these actions

 

[Awesome]

War is not ours or yours. War is a state of condition. We are definitely at war. Unfortunately the enemy combatants are both the US led Nato forces as well as the terrorists.

This is evidenced that the casualties have been inflicted frequently by both the US forces and the terrorists.

There is no way you can convince me otherwise by arguing why it is excusable for the US forces to continue to kill our people. There can be no cooperation with the US while they continue to kill our people through direct attacks, CIA operatives and drone strikes.

This is our war and you're the one on the other side.

This is more true for Afghanistan where Nato has raped children, urinated on dead bodies, burned the Quran and gone on killing sprees for sport. In Afghanistan you are definitely the bigger enemy than the Taliban.

We all support the actions of soldiers - after all they are just doing a job and carrying out instructions of the leaders of the respective lands. We also understand and appreciate and respect what OUR soldiers are doing to protect and to serve our nation.
It becomes a tediously harder job when someone who is supposedly an ally has in their ranks people that decide to commit incredible atrocities. I will give you several examples...
Killing 26 of our jawans on 26/11 - firing blue on blue.
Killing people and keeping fingers of the dead as momentos.
P1ssing on the dead.
Burning the Quran.
Your soldiers going bezerk and killing 16 innocent people in Afghanistani people yesterday.

Please Maj David Nevers - if any of our brave soldiers had carried out the atrocities how would the US of A have responded?
Please before putting automated responses - have a think. How about building bridges in the right manner and for gods sake sort your soldiers and policies out. You are creating deep rooted hatred for you and your troops. We cant judge all Americans in the same manner but your actions leave us with little choice.
Please when talking about "justice to those killed" - look in the mirror and think about your recent actions and the result of these actions

This is everybody's war - against the continued US occupation of this region!

 

[fd24]

Major Nevers just look at the handful of responses. Is your nation so out of touch with public distaste for the actions you carry out in our region? Do you realise how hated you have become. There is a rage that is universal coming from our region. Its not often i can say this but we as a region feel pretty united - you have outstayed your welcome in our region - i suggest you go forth and multiply back to where the sun dont shine and leave our region.
Dont embarrass or down our brave troops by mixing them up with your animals - its a real insult on our lads - now please think before putting an automated response thats so so out of touch...

 

[Infinite]

More on Major David on NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/w...nline-to-rebut-extremists.html?pagewanted=all

The team’s operators “respectfully deflect baseless and often irrational insults, confront adversaries with factual evidence and expose extremist propaganda that might otherwise go unrefuted,” Major Nevers said. “All engagements are transparent and attributable.”

“You’ve heard of the Iron Curtain, of course,” Mr. Safavi said. “We’re here to pierce the Electronic Curtain because the military has decided that it cannot cede this information space to violent extremists.”

Mr. Safavi typed up a translated summary of the Internet exchange, which in a matter of minutes had grown to 29 entries read by thousands more. He proposed a response drawn from Pentagon and State Department policy statements: it described shared American and Pakistani security interests, citing as evidence the large number of Pakistanis in security forces who were killed in battles with insurgents within that country’s borders.

Then he sent a message up his chain of command to Major Nevers on a form labeled “Permission to Engage.”

More on Major David on NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/w...nline-to-rebut-extremists.html?pagewanted=all

The team’s operators “respectfully deflect baseless and often irrational insults, confront adversaries with factual evidence and expose extremist propaganda that might otherwise go unrefuted,” Major Nevers said. “All engagements are transparent and attributable.”

“You’ve heard of the Iron Curtain, of course,” Mr. Safavi said. “We’re here to pierce the Electronic Curtain because the military has decided that it cannot cede this information space to violent extremists.”

Mr. Safavi typed up a translated summary of the Internet exchange, which in a matter of minutes had grown to 29 entries read by thousands more. He proposed a response drawn from Pentagon and State Department policy statements: it described shared American and Pakistani security interests, citing as evidence the large number of Pakistanis in security forces who were killed in battles with insurgents within that country’s borders.

Then he sent a message up his chain of command to Major Nevers on a form labeled “Permission to Engage.”

 

[Free Soul]

Major Nevers,

I do not disagree with what you have written in your post, but the criticism comes because of the very recent incidents that have occurred.
Namely US personnel urinating on deadbodies, burning of Quran in a US/ISAF base, butchering of Afghan civilians by one or more troops (victims included a large number of women and children).

Where you are advocating that we should not take the eye of the ball, you your self are trying to distract from recent violation, being committed by trained military personnel, who are no militia or mercenaries but come under the command of professional Military working for a government.

When an un-defendable crime is committed clever people would talk about some other more obviously right subject. Obviously we hear a totally dismissive statement when something like bombing of a village is done – where intension can or cannot be killing civilians – or friendly check posts are attacked on purpose or not.

Respectfully I would suggest that the original post by you looks more like a Taliban or Al-Qaeda statement talking about the importance of Religion God and Justice, right after they (Al Qaeda, Taliban) blow a market full of civilians to smithereens.

Well Taliban and Al-Qaeda in recent times have become so belligerent that they would not even hesitate in claiming the atrocities. What we hear from US/NATO/ISAF officials (after atrocities such as listed in this post) is a more sobered down response, but in substance not so much different

By the way we do not care what sort of response we are getting from US/NATO/ISAF, it means nothing, the truth is US/ISAF/NATO is here for a reason which hardly is humanitarian by the looks of it.

Sir can you put down the mission objectives that US and NATO set for themselves, when entering Afghanistan post 9/11?

And what are the objectives now?

Have the objectives changed? Were the objectives getting rid of top Al-Qaeda leadership (already been done) Pakistan captured more than 70% of the top leadership, the most vile of the lot.

I have asked many of my western friends, all what I hear is rambling on this or that, never a definitive answer.

regards
Free Soul

 

[third eye]

This war shall most certainly leave the US and the west a group of wiser but sadder nations.

 

[Ark-Angel]

Maj David Nevers
DET-United States Central Command
U.S. Central Command

Firstly, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. Coaliation troops are killing innocents inAfghanistan, 16 were killed recently. Your forces kill many innocents in drone strikes (not to forget by violating Internation Law).

Secondly, this isn't our war. This is your war, we were just pushed into it and we will FIGHT BACK your paid terrorist. You messed with Afghanis, now you better deal with them. We were only allies as long as USSR was our common enemy. Now, we do NOT have a common enemy. Afghan Mujahideen are killing your troops and obviously, we do like this! CIA, RAW, MOSSAD paid terrorist are fighting our forces and we are FIGHTING BACK! WE WILL LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND WHEN THE TIME COMES, WE WILL DIE WITH HONOUR!

Pakistan is my country, Afghani's are my Muslim brothers.
And Major Sahab, kindly accept that you've lost the war. You did won a few battles but you've surely, already lost the war!

 

[Gandhi G in da house]

This was a necessary and good war I believe unlike the Iraq war . The Taliban was and is a real threat to civilised Afghans as well as the larger civilised world .

I even think America's intentions were largely good but some of their rogue soldiers I guess have ruined it again for them as they did during the Vietnam war by losing the support of the locals through their actions .

I saw the movie Platoon , an oscar winning film about the Vietnam war and America's situation in this war reminds me starkly of that movie .

I think they didnt learn much from Vietnam . I anyway hope the Americans can turn the tide somehow , defeat the Taliban and make them weak enough not to trouble the Afghans in a major way anymore. After that leave the country to its local soldiers .

 

[King Solomon]

Every so often we simply fail to realize that the terrorists pose as much of a threat to Pakistan as they do to the U.S. Unfortunately, we allow our differences to gain control and then seek refuge in the blame game. The reality is that these terrorists take full advantage of our differences. The question whether this is our war answers itself when you begin separating facts from fiction. Pakistan has lost thousands of innocent civilians and thousands of security personnel to the acts of terror. The truth is that the threat is still prevalent in the region, and we are suffering at the hands of the same terrorists.

Last month an Associated Press reporter and photographer were allowed to follow Pakistani soldiers on the Kalpani base near the Af/Pak border. These brave soldiers are protecting the frontlines under very harsh conditions. One of the soldiers said: "This is my country. I am a Pakistani. I don't see that anyone who destroys our schools, our masjids (mosques), kills people, is good for my country; if they were working for a better Pakistan, we wouldn't be sitting in this post. The people would be supporting them against us." Another soldier said: "They are the enemy. They are not working for Pakistan. They are telling us that we have to do everything their way."

We must ask ourselves if we are supporting our soldiers by taking the attention off the terrorists by regularly highlighting our differences. We should remind ourselves that those protecting the front lines hold no confusion in regards to who poses the threat to our nations. Therefore, the responsibility of holding the obvious miscreants to account also rests with us. We must bring justice to those killed and fully support our forces in eliminating the threat that continues to haunt the region.


Maj David Nevers
DET-United States Central Command
U.S. Central Command

I think you know very well that what you said is not true. Your invasion of Afghanistan was not to chase some random taliban rats in Afghanistan by deploying 150000 troops. Your aim was to set a pretext and create condition by which you could de-nuclearize Pakistan. Pakistan was the ultimate target.

 

[beggingwalker]

Every so often we simply fail to realize that the terrorists pose as much of a threat to Pakistan as they do to the U.S. Unfortunately, we allow our differences to gain control and then seek refuge in the blame game. The reality is that these terrorists take full advantage of our differences. The question whether this is our war answers itself when you begin separating facts from fiction. Pakistan has lost thousands of innocent civilians and thousands of security personnel to the acts of terror. The truth is that the threat is still prevalent in the region, and we are suffering at the hands of the same terrorists.

Last month an Associated Press reporter and photographer were allowed to follow Pakistani soldiers on the Kalpani base near the Af/Pak border. These brave soldiers are protecting the frontlines under very harsh conditions. One of the soldiers said: "This is my country. I am a Pakistani. I don't see that anyone who destroys our schools, our masjids (mosques), kills people, is good for my country; if they were working for a better Pakistan, we wouldn't be sitting in this post. The people would be supporting them against us." Another soldier said: "They are the enemy. They are not working for Pakistan. They are telling us that we have to do everything their way."

We must ask ourselves if we are supporting our soldiers by taking the attention off the terrorists by regularly highlighting our differences. We should remind ourselves that those protecting the front lines hold no confusion in regards to who poses the threat to our nations. Therefore, the responsibility of holding the obvious miscreants to account also rests with us. We must bring justice to those killed and fully support our forces in eliminating the threat that continues to haunt the region.


Maj David Nevers
DET-United States Central Command
U.S. Central Command

Sir,

i do support your opinion and world should contribute here by bringing more army and more aid with education.
Tomorrow,they will bomb other country and here goes the cycle of attacks.so we need to finish at once by not leaving anything for future.

 

[Armstrong]

The thing is that Our war and Your war aren't the same thing - we're fighting against a group of murderous wretches who subjugate our women, blow up our civilians and make a mockery out of our religion; you, my friend, are fighting a war against a group of people who command enormous respect amongst the local Pathans on either side of the border (not that I agree with them) and have been termed everything from 'moral equivalents of your founding fathers' to 'terrorists' to 'nope-they're not terrorists and your fight isn't with them'.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Major Nevers,

I do not disagree with what you have written in your post, but the criticism comes because of the very recent incidents that have occurred.
Namely US personnel urinating on deadbodies, burning of Quran in a US/ISAF base, butchering of Afghan civilians by one or more troops (victims included a large number of women and children).

Where you are advocating that we should not take the eye of the ball, you your self are trying to distract from recent violation, being committed by trained military personnel, who are no militia or mercenaries but come under the command of professional Military working for a government.

When an un-defendable crime is committed clever people would talk about some other more obviously right subject. Obviously we hear a totally dismissive statement when something like bombing of a village is done – where intension can or cannot be killing civilians – or friendly check posts are attacked on purpose or not.

Respectfully I would suggest that the original post by you looks more like a Taliban or Al-Qaeda statement talking about the importance of Religion God and Justice, right after they (Al Qaeda, Taliban) blow a market full of civilians to smithereens.

Well Taliban and Al-Qaeda in recent times have become so belligerent that they would not even hesitate in claiming the atrocities. What we hear from US/NATO/ISAF officials (after atrocities such as listed in this post) is a more sobered down response, but in substance not so much different

By the way we do not care what sort of response we are getting from US/NATO/ISAF, it means nothing, the truth is US/ISAF/NATO is here for a reason which hardly is humanitarian by the looks of it.

Sir can you put down the mission objectives that US and NATO set for themselves, when entering Afghanistan post 9/11?

And what are the objectives now?

Have the objectives changed? Were the objectives getting rid of top Al-Qaeda leadership (already been done) Pakistan captured more than 70% of the top leadership, the most vile of the lot.

I have asked many of my western friends, all what I hear is rambling on this or that, never a definitive answer.

regards
Free Soul

their objectives have definitely changed but are unknown to even the soldiers on ground.
the American and British population is unsure too

although when we talk about Americans (war machinery, public , media) the patriotic response is that they are making the world safe & preventing a repeat of 9/11.

but in their hearts they know this war in Afghanistan is not winnable and the time to get out of here was yesterday. whether Americans stay in Afghanistan any longer or not is debatable but the rest of their allies specially the "cousins across" the pond are having a rethink about their original promise of "standing shoulder to shoulder" with Americans