Is Obama right to delay US withdrawal from Afghanistan?

[Chronos]

I’m absolutely, 100% certain that we shouldn’t stay in Afghanistan for “just a little while longer”. At the end of a war, you have two choices: Either you shake the dust of the place off of your feet completely and declare it no longer your problem, or you stay for half a lifetime to rebuild the place the way you want it rebuilt. I’m inclined to think that the former is the best choice in this case, but even if it’s not, the alternative is the latter. Staying just a short time just delays the decision to do one or the other, to the benefit in neither case: If you end up leaving, then that’s time spent wasting money and lives to no purpose, and if you end up staying, it’s time that you’re not engaged in meaningful rebuilding.

[CCitizen]

I am not an expert in big politics.

Fortunately, in Afghanistan and Iraq USA did not use the genocidal tactics used in Korea 1950 – '53 and Vietnam 1963 – '73.

[John_Mace]

@Chronos

I’m absolutely, 100% certain that we shouldn’t stay in Afghanistan for “just a little while longer”. At the end of a war, you have two choices: Either you shake the dust of the place off of your feet completely and declare it no longer your problem, or you stay for half a lifetime to rebuild the place the way you want it rebuilt. I’m inclined to think that the former is the best choice in this case, but even if it’s not, the alternative is the latter. Staying just a short time just delays the decision to do one or the other, to the benefit in neither case: If you end up leaving, then that’s time spent wasting money and lives to no purpose, and if you end up staying, it’s time that you’re not engaged in meaningful rebuilding.

If you look at what we did in Germany and Japan after WWII, neither of those actions fit your two models. It closer to the 2nd version, and although we still have troops in both countries, the rebuilding process did not take 40 years (half a lifetime). More like 5-10.

Ravenman: I stand corrected. I’ll rephrase that no single country is willing to put up even 10% of the number of troops that we are (after Obama’s latest change).

[Fuzzy_wuzzy]

@davida03801

The only way to tame Afghanistan is the Genghis Khan approach. Go there, tell them to submit to our will, and if not then we shall kill every man, woman and child. Then do as you say.

Short of that stay out.

I disagree that this approach is the only way to win in Afghanistan. It’s easy enough to “win” in Afghanistan. The main requirement for winning in that country; not be too fussy over which set of tribes and warlords you ally with. It really is a choice between set of bastards A, set of bastards B, or set of bastards C. Just dont go into Afghanistan and attempt to put in place your own ideal form of government.

[ralph124c]

Remember when the US Geological Survey released the report on the mineral riches of Afghanistan? the Chinese won the bid for a new, giant copper mine. Are they actually beginning to mine copper? If Chinese firms are unwilling to risk operations in Afghanistan, then the long term outlook is poor.

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

@davida03801

The only way to tame Afghanistan is the Genghis Khan approach. Go there, tell them to submit to our will, and if not then we shall kill every man, woman and child. Then do as you say.

Short of that stay out.

@2ManyTacos

This, frankly, is the only way to “win” this conflict.

To think otherwise is foolish.

So tell me, how many times have you guys been to Afghanistan?