Redskins Diehard Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 EAST HARTFORD, Conn. -- The commander of the U.S. Central Command said Friday that an Iraq-style surge cannot be a solution to the problems in Afghanistan. Gen. David Petraeus, speaking before about 800 people at an event sponsored by the World Affairs Council, acknowledged that the situation in Afghanistan has been spiraling downward and is likely to get worse before it gets better. In a speech that also touched on issues ranging from the nuclear threat in Iraq to pirates off Somalia, Petraeus said more resources are needed in Afghanistan, both military and especially civil to help build a stable government there. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/13/AR2009031303169.html?hpid=sec-nation --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hopefully this will put to rest that whole discussion. President Obama has shown that he is willing to give up his foolish campaign rhetoric(which the Afghanistan surge was IMO) when presented with actual information. Hopefully that pattern will hold true here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Hopefully this will put to rest that whole discussion. President Obama has shown that he is willing to give up his foolish campaign rhetoric(which the Afghanistan surge was IMO) when presented with actual information. Hopefully that pattern will hold true here. Then you think the ground commanders who requested additional troops are fools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterMP Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Then you think the ground commanders who requested additional troops are fools. A surge suggest a short term build up of troops. I think the Iraq style surge lasted for just over a year. There's a difference in saying if we get more troops in here, we can improve the situation pretty quickly, and then draw back down, and saying we need more troops, but it has to be essentially on a permanent basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Then you think the ground commanders who requested additional troops are fools. I do. Good for General P in realizing that Iraq and Afghanistan are completely different places with exception to the religion. And even in religion, there are many differences. Hopefully President Obama will see the light and determine that getting out of Afghanistan quickly is in our best national interest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redskins Diehard Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 Then you think the ground commanders who requested additional troops are fools. Right, because that is CLEARLY what I said. Putting words in people's mouth is very becoming. What I think, and what GEN Petraeus said is that an Iraq style surge should not happen in Afghanistan...I think know it all hacks with no military experience or education are fools though...know any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncleelroy89 Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Right, because that is CLEARLY what I said. Putting words in people's mouth is very becoming. What I think, and what GEN Petraeus said is that an Iraq style surge should not happen in Afghanistan...I think know it all hacks with no military experience or education are fools though...know any? Thats the first time I heard anyone say and being in the miltary I thank you for saying it :applause::applause::applause: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I do. Good for General P in realizing that Iraq and Afghanistan are completely different places with exception to the religion. And even in religion, there are many differences. Hopefully President Obama will see the light and determine that getting out of Afghanistan quickly is in our best national interest FWIW, Obama has made it clear that he values Gen P's views a great deal, and he is truly weighing his commanders and real military experts' views as opposed to letting his veep call the shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 ...I think know it all hacks with no military experience or education are fools though...know any? I know some ---and that's just one category of "fools" I can provide names on I think, based on evidence to date, that Obama takes genuinely well-informed, emotionally stable, objective counsel very seriously. To my analysis, that is something evidence shows came very late for the previous admin, and I am somewhat encouraged by seeing signs of it early in the new guy. Time will tell more, of couse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 It's simply not sound tactics to put a large force in Afghanistan. It's too much a logistics nightmare to sustain a large force there for very long, and the potential for disaster is increased exponentially. Smaller elite forces are the smart way to fight there. Surgery as opposed to brute strength. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMike619 Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 personally I dont know why we dont just bomb the hell out of where we think they are and then go in. i mean big ol bunker busting bombs that would not only shake the earth but light up the sky so bright that it would put fear in to Zeus himself!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Patreaus has shown that he is capable of making wise military decisions and I very much trust this guy. Obama appears to be smart and humble enough to be taking the advice of the commanders on the ground and basing his decsions on that advice. Good for him. I think it would be wise of him to continue his policy of listening to people like Patreaus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Right, because that is CLEARLY what I said. Putting words in people's mouth is very becoming. You honestly don't know why you are inconsistent here. You didn't go wrong by making the distinction between a surge and a troop increase. You are simply misquoting and misinterpreting Obama's campaign rhetoric because you are a die-hard Republican. Obama frequently advocated a troop increase in Afghanistan, and a troop reduction in Iraq-which is precisely what he has done at Bob Gates's request. ...I think know it all hacks with no military experience or education are fools though...know any? What was that you were saying about things being becoming? Again, the discrepancy has nothing to do with expertise and everything to do with your political leanings. From the Presidential debate: The question is, was this wise? We have seen Afghanistan worsen, deteriorate. We need more troops there. We need more resources there. Senator McCain, in the rush to go into Iraq, said, you know what? We've been successful in Afghanistan. There is nobody who can pose a threat to us there. This is a time when bin Laden was still out, and now they've reconstituted themselves. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates himself acknowledges the war on terrorism started in Afghanistan and it needs to end there. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/26/debate.mississippi.transcript/ IIRC, this was his main message that he delivered dozens of times in front of tens of millions of people-not an "Iraq style surge" but to simply increase the number of boots on the ground and devote the proper amount of resources. It seems you are implying he is a fool for saying something he didn't say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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