Gonna go out on a limb and wager these exact words do not make it into Big O’s speech tonight! 
Likely not.
Which isn’t what I was talking about.
That’s a good point and I’ve said the same thing in the past. So I probably came at this from the wrong angle. But I think this point remains: the goal is preventing the country from once again becoming a terrorist haven and sponsor. AQ does not function there now, but is it going to function there again? Can that be stopped? That’s the issue.
No, I don’t think it can be stopped. I think that Afghanistan would have to go through a whole series of levels of growth civilizationally for us to be able to rely upon them to stop Al Qaeda from operating there. I don’t think that this is the sort of thing that can be done in the short term.
What’s stopping Al Qaeda from operating out of Paraguay like Hezbollah supposedly does? What stops them from operating out of the Sudan or Somalia?
Basically, I don’t think this is a reasonable strategy for stopping global Jihadi militancy.
You got a better idea?
Yes, actually. A rapid strike force that can be deployed or re-deployed within a short period of time. Rather than occupy Afghanistan have the ability to reoccupy it for short tours like a month or two at a time. The same force can be deployed to Somalia, Sudan, or wherever the threat might actually exist. Work through diplomatic channels as much as possible. Tell the Taliban that they either give up Al Qaeda or we come back.
It would be much cheaper in terms of money, damage, and human life than an extended occupation. And the strikeforce can be much more nimble.
Supply them with weapons like these. Setup a mobile forward base that can be setup and taken down and moved around the country as needed.
So, Team America: World Police, then.
I was thinking GI Joe, but yeah.
BrainGlutton The marines already have helicopters.
Genocide.
I think he’s knocking this out of the park so far. I’m glad he made the point about never having ben asked to send additional troops before 2010, refuting the bullshit meme that he was dragging his feet or denying resources.
Who is Ben?
-XT
The word you’re looking for is “hubris”. It takes a lot of hubris to use a military setting to announce something he supported as a candidate but took 4 months to approve as a President.
Very well done, as always.
You must have missed the 2008 election where he pledged he would increase troop strength in Afghanistan.
He already has increased troop strength in Afghanistan. McChrystal (a grandstanding asshole who needs to learn his fucking place) wanted a further increase.
A pledge that he is keeping with this speech tonight. So what’s your problem?
You must have missed the part where he said ten thousand, roughly a third of this commitment. Somewhat different.
He had me at, well, not “Good evening,” but when he reminded me that Pakistan has nukes.
The goals and objectives made sense to me. I just hope we have competent and capable strategists and commanders and diplomats and translators and suppliers and soldiers, etc. to help carry out those goals.
Does everybody know their job?