However, if you wish to define the term “winning” in Afghanistan as the sustained security of the nation by Afghani forces — with continued payments to its leaders and warlords, of course — this can be achieved. It will take about 10 years, according to Gen. Stanley McChrystal, at a cost of about $12 billion per month and the loss of hundreds more of our young men and women. We could probably colonize the moon for this much.
But, of course, we will not actually defeat al-Qaida or the Taliban in the short run. Both groups are clever, well-funded, with the tactical advantages of time, geography, computer tech intelligence, and history on their side.
Personally, I believe Obama wants to get us out, but he is as committed as Johnson was. We will see what happens in July 2011, when President Obama has proposed to begin the withdrawal of our forces.
But I have some questions: Our enemy, al-Qaida, can now be found in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, among other lands — maybe even Detroit. How do we eliminate them all? If we kill Osama bin Laden, would he not become a very great martyr in the eyes of oppressed Muslims everywhere? Why do we still have thousands of military personnel in Europe, the Far East and more than 100 countries? Why is it that presidents seldom see combat, but don’t mind sending us into battles? Does it seem like we will decline as a broken nation, similar to the fall of the Roman Empire? What picture would the late Norman Rockwell draw today of America? Or perhaps Salvador Dali, the iconic Spanish surrealist?
Back to the past and future: I would vote to bring back both President Roosevelts, re-institute the Neutrality Act of 1935, and keep our security business in our own hemisphere. We need to defend ourselves through superior technology and a vast change in our imperialistic cavalier foreign policy, and take another look at this planet from space, before it’s too late.
Our enemy, Al Qaida, is quite clever and sophisticated. Its members are young, focused, invisible, and not afraid to meet Allah. They are not confined to certain nations and borders. They are our most serious threat since the likes of Hitler and Stalin — even more so, I believe.
• Mike Kaelin is a Tracy resident who is a former captain with the U.S. Air Force and served during the Vietnam War.
It has even greater meanin if yer from LBJ's part of th country an lived what went on thair an then spend yer youthful adult years in an around Vietnam ta live th experience that went on thair first hand.
Glad most folks didn't have ta do that.
But fer those of us who did it's sorta of disheartnin ta see what's happen right now in Iraq and Afghanistan when ya lived stuff like this before.
If we would just let our military commanders an soldiers do what they are trained to do, like they were hampered from doin in Vietnam, we would have been in an out of thair a long time ago.
We had th equipment ta make short order of Vietnam but got hung up in diplomacy that got far more killed than was really necessary.
Fortunately, due to technology, we aren't been havin our boys an girls die at the same rate they did in Vietnam, Korea and the big one in WWII. But it's small consolation when it's one of yer own who makes th supreme sacrifice an my heart goes out ta those people.
Don't like war but if yer gonna do it, do it with all ya got an get er over with as quickly as possible. This foot draggin it out over years and years is what kills more an runs up th financial costs.
It's scary the number of similarities between the two. He was the VP to Kennedy. But...
"Over time, Johnson escalated the number of troops and active military involvement in Vietnam. Soldier casualties were mounting and soon chants were heard, "Hey, Hey LBJ, How many kids did you kill today?""
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnson
Your comment reminded me of that now infamous song,
"Hey, Hey LBJ, How many kids did you kill today?" Found a video clip of it right here, for folks who don't remember their history.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPrOeqAEocA
Fer one, unfortunately I knew Johnson at a more personal level than many, havin grown up in th vicinity of his ranch in Johnson City Texas. Can ya figure out why it was called Johnson City? Folks that lived there had no problems figurin that one out.
I also served in Vietnam an experienced it first hand, rather than the TV arm chair experts we see commentin on how thangs er goin in th middle-east from th safety of thair homes.
It seems our current president is not much better than Johnson with respect to actions regardin Afghanistan an that's sad. Johnson had more of an excuse than Obama though cus back then we didn't have the relatively instant communications an high tech gagets we have taday.
Heard a news blip this AM, an I don't know if it's true cus I haven't had time ta check it out. I hope it's not true but if it is then it's a very good indication about his ability ta run our armed forces an will probably fail in th Afghan quagmire we find ourselves in.
Allegedly he has not talked with th top military commanders in the field for 70 days now. Like I said, I hope that ain't true. But if it is he's doin a much worse job than Johnson did with Vietnam an that job was very poor.
Johnson did America a very poor job as president with respect to Vietnam an got a lot of my personal friends killed for no good reason. He also was a very bad rancher an if not fer th money his wife brought with her inta th family wouldn't have gone very fer in American Politics.
Now, we are about to find out that it wasn't healthcare that was sick.
It's going to get very hard to vote for a Democrat.