Article

2009-03-02 Afghanistan

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2009-03-02 01:30|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ] Top
File under: Taliban

#1 US KIAs in the Stan have exceeded Iraq 9 out of the last 10 months.

Correction- Should read Coalition KIAs, not US

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2009-03-02 01:51|| 2009-03-02 01:51|| Front Page Top

#2 You pick your side, Afghanistan, and do it NOW.

Posted by newc">newc 2009-03-02 03:31|| 2009-03-02 03:31|| Front Page Top

#3 U.S., NATO or Afghan forces have killed 100 civilians, while militants have killed 60.

Define 'civillian", AP. No, wait, don't bother. We already know your answer.

Posted by Parabellum 2009-03-02 08:25|| 2009-03-02 08:25|| Front Page Top

#4 You pick your side, Afghanistan, and do it NOW.

Shouldnt we asking the pakis the same?

Posted by Paul2 2009-03-02 09:08|| 2009-03-02 09:08|| Front Page Top

#5 You pick your side, Afghanistan, and do it NOW.

I'd say they did it a long time ago.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2009-03-02 09:19|| 2009-03-02 09:19|| Front Page Top

#6 "The decreasing U.S. death toll in Iraq coincides with an overall decline in violence largely attributed to a cease-fire by anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, seeing that his militia and power base were about to be annihilated by the combined Iraqi and American forces, and a Sunni decision to join forces with the Americans against al-Qaida in Iraq, rather than face certain destruction at the hands of the Shia majority and Americans."

Fixed it for you.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-03-02 09:34|| 2009-03-02 09:34|| Front Page Top

#7 Shouldnt we asking the pakis the same?

Pakistan picked their side when they sent the Taliban to hold Afghanistan for them back in the 1990s, Paul. They've repeatedly taken actions since to back up that choice -- the latest being the attacks in Mumbai and running the border guards mutiny in Bangladesh. Has Pakistan any friends left other than China and Saudi Arabia?
... and I suspect the Saudis are getting wobbly. Not to mention everyone is nervous about what President Obama will do.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2009-03-02 09:52|| 2009-03-02 09:52|| Front Page Top

#8 Let's face it - the problem in Afghanistan is a tribal problem. There are several tribes that are more or less at peace. There is one tribe (Pashtuns) that are at war, on both sides of the Durand line (Not technically a border, as neither side has agreed to it). The Pakistanis want the Pashtuns to win, so that Afghanistan will be a de-facto colony of Pakistan. Pakistan is stirring up trouble throughout South Asia to keep the US from winning.

It's time for an ARCLIGHT strike or three down through the center of Islamabad. Watch how fast things quieten down after that.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2009-03-02 11:13|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2009-03-02 11:13|| Front Page Top

#9 It's OK. It's the good war.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2009-03-02 15:16|| 2009-03-02 15:16|| Front Page Top

#10 This is a really tough situation. We are going to give it a real try over the coming 24 months, but I don't know how persistent our involvement can be there. Afghanistan is a tribal hellhole. The local cops are not to be trusted at this point. The national army is only starting up the curve. I just don't see it getting much better while at the same time having only a tenuous strategic importance.

Posted by remoteman 2009-03-02 16:00|| 2009-03-02 16:00|| Front Page Top

23:54 Chineling Guelph1414
23:47 phil_b
23:37 Zhang Fei
23:31 CrazyFool
23:24 Zhang Fei
22:28 Tex
22:28 mhw
22:16 Cromert
22:02 Tex
22:02 Alaska Paul
21:42 Trader_DFW
21:41 Alaska Paul
21:29 Trader_DFW
21:21 Snater Gonque8962
21:00 phil_b
20:59 Sgt. Mom
20:55 Pappy
20:42 Trader_DFW
20:32 SteveS
20:30 SteveS
20:25 Throlump Dingle9815
20:25 Skunky Glins 5***
20:15 Nimble Spemble
20:13 Nimble Spemble