Caught a presentation from the U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan. Pretty tough deal. The gentleman presenting thought they were doing good work, but that Afghanistan is so dysfunctional that nothing very good will result.
The United States helped set up the Afghan Government. It is very centralized with provincial Governors appointed by the central government. Afghanistan is tribal and fights all central authority. Not smart. This would not have been the military's call - sounds like some real smart guys from the State Department from Ivy League schools. Any workable government in a place like Afghanistan should have been a bottom ups democracy.
One of these days we must leave.
This long war does not seem to be headed anywhere good. We achieved our goal of stopping terrorist attacks on the United States homeland. The fear is of course if we withdraw from the middle east and then a major terrorist attack on the US homeland results. This keeps us in the war - afraid to leave.
Tough deal with no good options.
____________________
I met with another Marine Reserve friend. He tells me that some of his fellow Reserve Marines have made three deployments to the Gulf already, and are being required to go again. This is getting very disruptive for them, their families, and their full time civilian jobs.
The United States helped set up the Afghan Government. It is very centralized with provincial Governors appointed by the central government. Afghanistan is tribal and fights all central authority. Not smart. This would not have been the military's call - sounds like some real smart guys from the State Department from Ivy League schools. Any workable government in a place like Afghanistan should have been a bottom ups democracy.
One of these days we must leave.
This long war does not seem to be headed anywhere good. We achieved our goal of stopping terrorist attacks on the United States homeland. The fear is of course if we withdraw from the middle east and then a major terrorist attack on the US homeland results. This keeps us in the war - afraid to leave.
Tough deal with no good options.
____________________
I met with another Marine Reserve friend. He tells me that some of his fellow Reserve Marines have made three deployments to the Gulf already, and are being required to go again. This is getting very disruptive for them, their families, and their full time civilian jobs.
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