Five NATO troops killed as Afghanistan violence soars

Five NATO troops killed as Afghanistan violence soars

www.reuters.com

Five troops serving with the NATO-led force in Afghanistan were killed on Sunday, including three in a clash with insurgents in the east, the coalition said, one of the worst daily tolls in a month.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Violence across Afghanistan is at its worst since U.S.-backed Afghan forces overthrew the Taliban nine years ago, with civilian and military casualties at record levels despite the presence of about 150,000 foreign troops.

Is Afghanistan rightly known as 'graveyard of empires'? Just look at the ground reality even after 9 long years of battle the condition is still worse and people dying on both ends regularly. Can you see an end to this war with predicted outcomes of 2001? I don't.

I think NATO and US will ultimately tire of the losses and pullout leaving behind bases and few thousand soldiers such as happened in Iraq. It is a great face saving move but was this what was tried to accomplish by the NATO world powers? Leaving behind turmoil and violence in an already backward place such as happened after Soviet invasion will leave us back to square one. So what was the purpose of this long war when we are where we started?



www.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Nuke'em all let God sort'em out!

By doing so, would eradicate a worthless country thus removing a worthless people known to cause cancer in rats~

I mean come on, what does Afghanistan really have to offer, except for poppy seeds used for illegal drugs?

Death of a soldier or military person is a hazard of the job.
Live by the sword die by the sword.

__________

Originally posted by Whereweheaded
Nuke'em all let God sort'em out!
what does Afghanistan really have to offer

Only a pimp would be interested in what they have to offer.
No one owes you anything, get over it.

__________

reply to post by ToneDeaf


You need to re-read my comment~ I was using sarcasm, and have no interest in what those people have to offer?
Furthermore, I don't think anyone owes me anything?

Nice try though troll!!

Afghanistan has a lot to offer the global economy actually.

Vast mineral deposits, much of it not even discovered yet.

Endless poppy fields as far as the eye can see, both legal and illegal. Fueling the global pharma demand and the black market demands.

A lot of people have mentioned the oil issue. Setting up strategically important pipelines etc.

This isn't just important for the United States or Europe. China and India have vested intrests in Afghanistan as well.

This international conglomeration of corporate and national entities is globalization. It is Empire 'novus ordo seclorum'.

In a funny way it reminds me of those ancient Indian epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

reply to post by Sheol


The US tried to destabilize Iran and Pakistan through this invasion, but failed miserably.

Pakistan have been destabilized, but Pakistan is fighting back through its proxy in Afghanistan, and actually winning.

US will collapse, those who don't believe it will be caught off guard.

When will we learn from our lessons!

Algiers - 19 March 1962, Algerian Independence
Afghanistan - 15 February 1989, Withdrawal of Soviet forces
Vietnam - 30 April 1975, Guerrilla victory
13 British colonies - 3 September 1783, Withdrawal of British
Ireland - 11 July 1921, Irish Independence

But those hard head politicians care more about money then they care about actually winning a war.

If only we had a great General to lead the American forces to greatness, like we once were known for...Like a modern day MacArthur. Yea...that would do it

reply to post by BiGGz


It does not matter how technologically advanced your forces are or how competent your strategic brass is; you cannot win hearts and minds in an offensive war.

And on top of what was already said here, lots of "aid" money given to prominent Afghan warlords and officials has been transfered from Afghan banks to fund mega projects in the UAE. This means that the Afghan elite prosper from the war, and will have cushy homes to go to in Dubai after the war ends in Afghanistan. So much for the Afghan people that we went there to help.

Originally posted by Whereweheaded
Nuke'em all let God sort'em out!

By doing so, would eradicate a worthless country thus removing a worthless people known to cause cancer in rats~

I mean come on, what does Afghanistan really have to offer, except for poppy seeds used for illegal drugs?

edit on 14-11-2010 by Whereweheaded because: (no reason given)

Minerals, you genocidal maniac, I don't mean that in a nice way.

Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi
reply to post by BiGGz

 

It does not matter how technologically advanced your forces are or how competent your strategic brass is; you cannot win hearts and minds in an offensive war.

The US isn't doing a brilliant job at it, but it can be done and it has been done before. The Malayan Emergency is a great example, General Briggs’ central strategy was to break ties between the insurgency and the general population.

To compliment military and propaganda operations, the Malayan Scouts (SAS) were used for both offensive 4-man patrols and hearts and minds operations, in which they would hand out food and medical kit to indigenous tribes. Around 500,000 people, mostly Chinese, were forcibly resettled into controlled villages which were basically forts, where the population could be effectively monitored but were provided with electricity, medical care, education and water. It was a successful strategy, over a million people still live in those villages.

Originally posted by oozyism
reply to post by Sheol

 

The US tried to destabilize Iran and Pakistan through this invasion, but failed miserably.

Pakistan have been destabilized, but Pakistan is fighting back through its proxy in Afghanistan, and actually winning.

US will collapse, those who don't believe it will be caught off guard.

I agree with you on Iran but my opinion differs with you on Pakistan. Noone has destabilised Pakistan but they have done it themselves. Pakistan govt., army and ISI has given birth to terrorist organisations for the sole purpose to run their economy and attack others. Even Pakistani Prime Ministers and Presidents have spoken openly how they created terror groups to attack India.

Former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf has told a magazine that his forces trained militant groups to fight in Indian-administered Kashmir

Musharraf admits Kashmir militants trained in Pakistan

Pakistan's president has admitted his country created terrorist groups to help achieve its foreign policy goals.

Now those same terrorist are attacking their own masters who gave birth to them as acknowledged by Pakistani President.

"Let us be truthful to ourselves and make a candid admission of the realities," he said. "The terrorists of today were the heroes of yesteryears until 9/11 occurred and they began to haunt us as well."

Pakistani president Asif Zardari admits creating terrorist groups

So Pakistan has no one to blame but itself for using terror policies for the sad state it is in today. Pakistan is nothing but a failed terrorist state. If Pakistan had tried to build it's economy from the start instead of it's jealousy and infatuation with India it could have been called a country today but no they wanted to create terrorist groups and attack other countries. Hows that working out now? Every second day there is bomb blast in Pakistan by their own dear terrorists, Pakistani economy is in ruins and if not for US billion dollar aids yearly it would have stopped in it's tracks by now.

What United States did in Iraq is no different from what Pakistan has been doing from start is my point of view and you can take it to the bank (lol yeh borrowed it from Obama).

Originally posted by Soshh

Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi
reply to post by BiGGz

 

It does not matter how technologically advanced your forces are or how competent your strategic brass is; you cannot win hearts and minds in an offensive war.

The US isn't doing a brilliant job at it, but it can be done and it has been done before. The Malayan Emergency is a great example, General Briggs’ central strategy was to break ties between the insurgency and the general population.

I agree with your points re the superior British Empire strategy when compared to French or US far East efforts, it could be argued however that as the existing and not universally hated imperial power in Malaya the Empire was not fighting an offensive war, as was stated in the original post.

reply to post by Thepreye


Yep there are many differences, but the Taliban were not much fun to live under and it would not have been difficult to install a more desirable and effective government. Whether the new government is preferable is a matter of opinion, while personally I would prefer to live under the present government I would not want all of the crap that goes with this occupation-style military presence.

A successful hearts and minds campaign isn’t impossible in an offensive war, not at all, it’s just that the US has been useless at implementing such a strategy. Winning hearts and minds has been placed relatively low in the priorities, if what is necessary has not been put in then we can’t be surprised when the hearts and minds effort fails miserably.

It's hard to sell the idea that you are improving people's lives and offering them increased security and freedom if you are not actually doing that. Being leered at by soldiers with zero interpersonal skills who treat you as an enemy and living in fear of arbitrary air strikes and break-ins is sure to make people wonder if they were better off with the Taliban.

Unless genocide is your game, you can't expect to win without hearts and minds and this hasn't been stressed enough. People seem to think that fighting is the key to winning a war like this, when ridiculously simple things like a smile or some decent manners or a gift are infinitely more effective. Oh, and making sure that when you're killing the bad guys they are actually bad guys.

After reading an article in SOF, I found that the ISAF/NATO were aware that in 2009, the U.N. office on Drugs and Crime estimated that approximately 7700 metric tons, or 16,940,000 pounds of opium, heroin, and morphine were produced in Afghanistan, which accumulates for 92% of the world's supply. 3 billion dollar profit for the Afghan economy in 2007.
The ABP, or the Afghan Border Police, in conjunction with the United Nations counter-narcotics project are seeing not only the drugs being routed through Iran by way of remote routes, but ISAF/NATO stated that they were no longer involved with eradication efforts of these illegal drugs.
We have heard the argument that we are in the middle east for oil, but now after seeing many articles of the past year, suggesting the drug cartels, is it possible that we are in Afghanistan not for democracy or the war on terror, but the billion dollar business in drugs?
I mean anyone who is aware of George Bush Sr., being the director at the CIA prior to going into office, would know about the crooked and questionable actions involving drugs and money.
Is it possible that our men, as well as NATO men as well as other coalition forces personnel are being killed in battle not only for a false war, but all for the drug cartel, under the premise of "war on terror"?

reply to post by Soshh


They over emphasise force protection to the degree where a hearts and minds campaign couldn't work as that would involve slightly more risk to the boots on the ground.

reply to post by Whereweheaded

Nuke'em all let God sort'em out! By doing so, would eradicate a worthless country thus removing a worthless people known to cause cancer in rats~ I mean come on, what does Afghanistan really have to offer, except for poppy seeds used for illegal drugs?

Please tell me you are joking. If you are serious you may need some help my friend. The Afghan people did not ask to be in this predicament. What would you do if China occupied the USA for years on end and routinely killed civilians? Would you fight agains the illegal occupation? I have a brother who was wounded in Afghanistan protecting the oil pipeline and poppies. I don't support the mission but I support our troops, but in no way what so ever would I ever wish for a whole country to be "nuked" because you think they have nothing to offer you. They are just as human as you are, and judging by your lack or remorse for human life I am willing to bet they are more human than you are my friend. Please think of what you posted and honestly ask yourself if you really believe what you expressed. The violence will never end over there as long as we are there. Even once we leave there will still be conflict.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


Let me ask you, what specifically do the people offer you personally? Besides illegal drugs, and terrorists? What common house hold good is manufactured there? Nothing...
Many people believe that the minerals offer pharma, but they have bought into that lie hook line and sinker~
The only thing that Aghan has provided this world is terror, and drugs! PERIOD...
many of you need to open your eyes and stop drinking the liberal kool aid!

reply to post by Whereweheaded


CIA created Al- Queda in the 80's to cause the Russians grief, they also funded Bin Laden for the amount of 3 billion dollars. Seems like you been drinking way too much cool aid. The terror you speak of does not exist. Your own government pulled off 911 and you try to shove your right wing neo-con propaganda on this site where the majority of the members are in the know of what is really going on. The irony never fails to amaze me that people will sit here and make unfounded claims due to crap they saw on CNN. Your good friend Dick Cheney had the intention of invading Afghanistan way before 911. Maybe when the next false flag happens you will snap out of your mainstream media induced coma. In this thread you have called for the nuclear bombing of a country and innocent people, failed to realize the reasons why we are there in the first place, and also blamed people for terrorism while you have no proof that they are terrorists. I can only imagine what you will post next...