Our part of the Vietnam War lasted 20 years and cost a trillion of today's dollars. We lost that war. The Iraq-Iran war and the Persian Gulf War together lasted only a decade but cost another trillion of today's dollars. We lost that one. The war in Afghanistan has gone on for 20 years and has cost--you guessed it--one trillion dollars. We lost that one, also.
As a USMC vet who served 19 months in Vietnam, and the father of a USMC major who served 15 months in Afghanistan, I fully support our military. Even though they have now lost four wars in a row, counting Korea. But spend a trillion dollars here, and a trillion dollars there, and suddenly you are talking big money. I can't help thinking that it could be better spent.
Can't we just hire Israel to do it for cost plus ten percent? Then probably we would win one.
Isaac, you say "But none of that makes the tragedy unfolding in front of us any easier to witness." The tragedy started 20 years ago and has continued unabated since then. Well if you count the 11 year Russian invasion... well the Taliban may actually bring peace.
Certainly there will be atrocities but is it any worse than having your village bombed? I don't know enough about the internal politics, but if the Taliban can move that fast I would say they probably have more support on the ground than the "Afghan Government". As I recall, the Taliban reined in the opium trade that has flourished under the US/Afghan governance.
Though I feel badly for the people who experienced a more secular life and will now be subjected to fundamental Islamic rule it may be the best for the country at this time.
Our part of the Vietnam War lasted 20 years and cost a trillion of today's dollars. We lost that war. The Iraq-Iran war and the Persian Gulf War together lasted only a decade but cost another trillion of today's dollars. We lost that one. The war in Afghanistan has gone on for 20 years and has cost--you guessed it--one trillion dollars. We lost that one, also.
As a USMC vet who served 19 months in Vietnam, and the father of a USMC major who served 15 months in Afghanistan, I fully support our military. Even though they have now lost four wars in a row, counting Korea. But spend a trillion dollars here, and a trillion dollars there, and suddenly you are talking big money. I can't help thinking that it could be better spent.
Can't we just hire Israel to do it for cost plus ten percent? Then probably we would win one.
Isaac, you say "But none of that makes the tragedy unfolding in front of us any easier to witness." The tragedy started 20 years ago and has continued unabated since then. Well if you count the 11 year Russian invasion... well the Taliban may actually bring peace.
Certainly there will be atrocities but is it any worse than having your village bombed? I don't know enough about the internal politics, but if the Taliban can move that fast I would say they probably have more support on the ground than the "Afghan Government". As I recall, the Taliban reined in the opium trade that has flourished under the US/Afghan governance.
Though I feel badly for the people who experienced a more secular life and will now be subjected to fundamental Islamic rule it may be the best for the country at this time.