Iraq Vet thoughts on Afganistan

[askeptic]

Would you give your life for Afganistan​? I’m just wondering why we have decided to give the lives of 1600 American boys. what would you do if your son was “collatera​l damage”? I know I would spend the rest of my life making somebody pay. That’s just what they are going to do. Before you respond like I’m some limp wristed liberal I spent a year fighting in Iraq. Did you?

Have the wars in Afganistan and Iraq and yes Libya made us safer have they served our collective interest? I don’t think so. If human rights are so important why have we done nothing about child rape in Kyrgistan mass murder in Sudan prison camps in North Korea and China militancy in Indonesia lawlessness in Somalia and countless other atrocities? I think Iraq Afganistan and now Libya are meant to distract us from what’s really going on.

F you to the first person to complain about syntax or typo I posted this from a phone…

[John_Mace]

@askeptic

Would you give your life for Afganistan​?

Nope.

I’m just wondering why we have decided to give the lives of 1600 American boys. what would you do if your son was “collatera​l damage”? I know I would spend the rest of my life making somebody pay. That’s just what they are going to do. Before you respond like I’m some limp wristed liberal I spent a year fighting in Iraq. Did you?

No, I did not. But I wasn’t planning on calling you a “limp wristed liberal” either.

Have the wars in Afganistan and Iraq and yes Libya made us safer have they served our collective interest?

No, I don’t think so.

If human rights are so important why have we done nothing about child rape in Kyrgistan mass murder in Sudan prison camps in North Korea and China militancy in Indonesia lawlessness in Somalia and countless other atrocities?

You lost me there. It’s not necessary to fight injustices everywhere in order to fight injustices anywhere. But that’s not why we went in there.

I think Iraq Afganistan and now Libya are meant to distract us from what’s really going on.

I think they are just mistakes. No need to postulate some diabolical plan.

F you to the first person to complain about syntax or typo I posted this from a phone…

Nice preemptive insult, bub! I’d return the favor, but it’s against the rules here.

[askeptic]

I appreciate you response John. I remember you from the old days. My F you was not meant as a preemptive insult though I guess it clearly was, but merely a recognition of the standards here and an explanation for why I probably did nor meet them under my posting circumstances. Sorry you felt insulted.

[John_Mace]

@askeptic

Sorry you felt insulted.

No worries. I wasn’t really insulted. I just thought it was a rather uncool way of ending an OP. Especially since the vast majority of people here are going to agree with you.

[askeptic]

Since there is not a long line of people trying to get to Afganistan to die I don’t really see how anybody could disagree. If anybody does I would be happy to give them directions to the nearest recruiter. I still have military connections and can guarantee service in a combat zone. Apologies again for the preemtive insult. Also I’m not postulating some nefarious plot I’m ok with mistake a long as we admit it and stop the killing.

[Mosier]

@askeptic

Have the wars in Afganistan and Iraq and yes Libya made us safer have they served our collective interest?

Iraq, probably not. Libya, more likely but still probably not. Afghanistan, certainly. The Afghani government harbored and gave aid to the organization that has made the single most destructive attack on American soil ever. Afghanistan is a legitimate conflict serving American interests by any definition you care to name. America will certainly be safer with the Taliban and Al Qaida destroyed, in a way that you can’t legitimately argue for Saddam or Gadaffi.

[askeptic]

@Mosier

Iraq, probably not. Libya, more likely but still probably not. Afghanistan, certainly. The Afghani government harbored and gave aid to the organization that has made the single most destructive attack on American soil ever. Afghanistan is a legitimate conflict serving American interests by any definition you care to name. America will certainly be safer with the Taliban and Al Qaida destroyed, in a way that you can’t legitimately argue for Saddam or Gadaffi.

Would you like the phone number for your nearest recruiter? Or is it only important Enough for others to die? Having served in combat I think it should be an all or nothing proposition. Either we all sacrifice for what we think is important or none of us do.

[Airman_Doors_USAF]

@askeptic

Would you like the phone number for your nearest recruiter? Or is it only important Enough for others to die? Having served in combat I think it should be an all or nothing proposition. Either we all sacrifice for what we think is important or none of us do.

Let’s just say I disagree with this, and we’ll leave it at that.

[askeptic]

@Airman_Doors_USAF

Let’s just say I disagree with this, and we’ll leave it at that.

I’m happy to respectfully disagree with you AD.

[Miller]

@askeptic

Would you like the phone number for your nearest recruiter? Or is it only important Enough for others to die? Having served in combat I think it should be an all or nothing proposition. Either we all sacrifice for what we think is important or none of us do.

Sorry, are you saying that the only way we should engage in military action is if we do it as part of a nation wide mobilization, a la World War II? Because that seems a bit excessive, given the nature of 21st century military conflict.

[askeptic]

I think anytime the US decides to embark on combat operations a draft should be instituted. No exceptions no deferrments. If it is not worth your life (i am not refering to you AD i know you have been there and done that) its not worth anyone’s life. Nor should we accept terms like “collateral damage” collateral damage is another way of saying we killed an innocent bystander.

[John_Mace]

@Mosier

Iraq, probably not. Libya, more likely but still probably not. Afghanistan, certainly. The Afghani government harbored and gave aid to the organization that has made the single most destructive attack on American soil ever. Afghanistan is a legitimate conflict serving American interests by any definition you care to name. America will certainly be safer with the Taliban and Al Qaida destroyed, in a way that you can’t legitimately argue for Saddam or Gadaffi.

The Taliban doesn’t give a shit one or the other about the US. They will fight us in their country, but not outside it. Al Queda was a small entity that we chased out of Afghanistan a long time ago. The longer we stay in Afghanistan, the more we feed al Queda’s recruiting process and the more we get Pakistani militants pissed off at us. They are a much bigger danger to The West than anyone in Afghanistan.

[askeptic]

@John_Mace

The Taliban doesn’t give a shit one or the other about the US. They will fight us in their country, but not outside it. Al Queda was a small entity that we chased out of Afghanistan a long time ago. The longer we stay in Afghanistan, the more we feed al Queda’s recruiting process and the more we get Pakistani militants pissed off at us. They are a much bigger danger to The West than anyone in Afghanistan.

True Dat. Pakistan has nukes and shit how long til a freighter pulls into New York harbor with a Special Delivery?

[Argent_Towers]

There is no reason at all to invade any of these Middle Eastern countries in the name of fighting terrorism when we hold in our hands the ultimate solution to terrorism: STOP BUYING OIL.

Turn off that Saudi oil spigot and we will see the terrorists’ funding dry up.

Better for the environment too. America should be totally off oil. In the '60s Kennedy decided America would go to the moon, and for the next decade, the best scientists and engineers worked their asses off to make that happen. A similar mandate needs to be declared by our current politicians: we will be off oil by 2020. It can happen if we just had the will to do it.

[askeptic]

@Argent_Towers

There is no reason at all to invade any of these Middle Eastern countries in the name of fighting terrorism when we hold in our hands the ultimate solution to terrorism: STOP BUYING OIL.

Turn off that Saudi oil spigot and we will see the terrorists’ funding dry up.

Better for the environment too. America should be totally off oil. In the '60s Kennedy decided America would go to the moon, and for the next decade, the best scientists and engineers worked their asses off to make that happen. A similar mandate needs to be declared by our current politicians: we will be off oil by 2020. It can happen if we just had the will to do it.

Can we cut ties with Isreal too?

[elucidator]

Oh, no, you didn’t!

[askeptic]

@elucidator

Oh, no, you didn’t!

Way to kill a thread Luci…oh fuck criticism of Isreal may come up we better shut the fuck up. God forbid somebody criticize someone who wants to cut the tip of my sons penis off.

[Mosier]

@askeptic

Way to kill a thread Luci…oh fuck criticism of Isreal may come up we better shut the fuck up. God forbid somebody criticize someone who wants to cut the tip of my sons penis off.

Your problem with the Jews is that they want to cut your son’s penis?

[Mosier]

@John_Mace

The Taliban doesn’t give a shit one or the other about the US. They will fight us in their country, but not outside it. Al Queda was a small entity that we chased out of Afghanistan a long time ago. The longer we stay in Afghanistan, the more we feed al Queda’s recruiting process and the more we get Pakistani militants pissed off at us. They are a much bigger danger to The West than anyone in Afghanistan.

Al Qaida in Afghanistan is not as much of a threat as it was before, because we have denied them safe haven in Afghanistan. The Pakinstani government is not openly friendly with Al Qaida, and makes considerable effort to combat them.

[askeptic]

@Mosier

Your problem with the Jews is that they want to cut your son’s penis?

I don’t have a problem with "the Jews " if forced to choose I would side with isreal I’m not stupid enough to think they are after my kids foreskin for some nefarious purpose.