Comments on: Shibboleths of the Afghanistan Debate http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/09/shibboleths-of-the-afghanistan-debate/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:29:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: R. Fred, Midlothian, http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/09/shibboleths-of-the-afghanistan-debate/#comment-61536 R. Fred, Midlothian, Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:39:01 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/?p=16826#comment-61536 I normally don't make comment, however, when I read Ben C."s entry from Ann Arbor, MI., I couldn't resist. My company has what can be the answer to Ben's question i.e. "What can Afghan farmers grow other than Poppy's"? Originally developed as a funding source to support the rescue of At Risk Kids, we have developed Hydroponic Farming techniques coupled with a "bio-mass" conversion process to produce renewable energy and clean water. We can grow vegetables and fruit 12 months a year (10 Plus yield) using 1/10th the water in a fraction of the space. Sec. Robert Gates et.al. says "we need civilian Ag Projects on the ground in Afghanistan now to follow any Military "Surge to Purge". My farmer father always said, "Once the land is cleared it needs to be planted and cultivated to keep the weeds out for maximum yield". If Gen. Stan will clear the land and buy us time, we will plant and grow food and water to feed the multitudes and help create an exciting new Mid East economy. I normally don't make comment, however, when I read Ben C."s entry from Ann Arbor, MI., I couldn't resist. My company has what can be the answer to Ben's question i.e. "What can Afghan farmers grow other than Poppy's"? Originally developed as a funding source to support the rescue of At Risk Kids, we have developed Hydroponic Farming techniques coupled with a "bio-mass" conversion process to produce renewable energy and clean water. We can grow vegetables and fruit 12 months a year (10 Plus yield) using 1/10th the water in a fraction of the space. Sec. Robert Gates et.al. says "we need civilian Ag Projects on the ground in Afghanistan now to follow any Military "Surge to Purge". My farmer father always said, "Once the land is cleared it needs to be planted and cultivated to keep the weeds out for maximum yield". If Gen. Stan will clear the land and buy us time, we will plant and grow food and water to feed the multitudes and help create an exciting new Mid East economy.

]]> By: K. Kaiser, WA http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/09/shibboleths-of-the-afghanistan-debate/#comment-61381 K. Kaiser, WA Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:23:17 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/?p=16826#comment-61381 Robert is right in the sense that Congress is behaving in the same manner as they did in Viet Nam. Commit the troops then pull the rug out from under them, insult them and leave them hanging. However regarding the Tet Offensive, the US did do well in its response but did not have the support or congressional fortitude to finish the job. If you read the reports of the VC leaders they almost lost the war as a result of Tet. They had committed major resources and were very weak at the end of the engagement. Our congress and leadership at that time however gave them time to regroup. Ken Battle Ground, WA Robert is right in the sense that Congress is behaving in the same manner as they did in Viet Nam. Commit the troops then pull the rug out from under them, insult them and leave them hanging.

However regarding the Tet Offensive, the US did do well in its response but did not have the support or congressional fortitude to finish the job. If you read the reports of the VC leaders they almost lost the war as a result of Tet. They had committed major resources and were very weak at the end of the engagement. Our congress and leadership at that time however gave them time to regroup.

Ken

Battle Ground, WA

]]> By: Ben C, Ann Arbor, MI http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/09/shibboleths-of-the-afghanistan-debate/#comment-61377 Ben C, Ann Arbor, MI Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:52:51 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/?p=16826#comment-61377 All this rhetoric is useless until the poppy fields are converted into another crop. Follow the money. The Taliban are funded by the heroin trade. Get rid of the source of funding and they go away. It really isn't hard to understand. Problem is: what can the farmers grow instead? Maybe there is a hidden agenda the White House Chicago mob doesn't want to publicize. All this rhetoric is useless until the poppy fields are converted into another crop. Follow the money. The Taliban are funded by the heroin trade. Get rid of the source of funding and they go away. It really isn't hard to understand. Problem is: what can the farmers grow instead?

Maybe there is a hidden agenda the White House Chicago mob doesn't want to publicize.

]]> By: Jerry from Chicago http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/09/shibboleths-of-the-afghanistan-debate/#comment-61353 Jerry from Chicago Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:37:16 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/?p=16826#comment-61353 General McChrystal says he needs 40,000 more troops. Commander-in-Chief Obama says "Don't worry, we aren't going to be pulling any treoops out". Once again, Mr. Obama has written a check with his mouth that his ego won't allow him to cash. Obama could only criticize the Bush administration for not having an exit strategy for Iraq. According to Mr. Obama, Iraq was the 'wrong' war, but Afghanistan was the 'right' war. Well, nine months into his term, Mr. Obama is still fighting the wrong war and has no exit strategy for Iraq. Nor, it seems, does he have a strategy for winning the 'right' war in Afghanistan. And since winning seems out of the question, what exactly is his exit strategy for Afghanistan? General McChrystal says he needs 40,000 more troops. Commander-in-Chief Obama says "Don't worry, we aren't going to be pulling any treoops out".

Once again, Mr. Obama has written a check with his mouth that his ego won't allow him to cash.

Obama could only criticize the Bush administration for not having an exit strategy for Iraq. According to Mr. Obama, Iraq was the 'wrong' war, but Afghanistan was the 'right' war. Well, nine months into his term, Mr. Obama is still fighting the wrong war and has no exit strategy for Iraq. Nor, it seems, does he have a strategy for winning the 'right' war in Afghanistan. And since winning seems out of the question, what exactly is his exit strategy for Afghanistan?

]]> By: Lwesson, Tejas http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/09/shibboleths-of-the-afghanistan-debate/#comment-61282 Lwesson, Tejas Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:58:06 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/?p=16826#comment-61282 Are the ever delightful duo, the Taliban and al-Qaeda our enemies or are they not? I think we have clearly said YES with blood, toil and treasure. Gen. Mc Crystal wants 40,000. Send in 80 thousand. Kick the two faced media out of the country and simply go to war. Let slip loose the dogs of war and crush them. Take a friendly houshold tip from Conan the Barbarian: Crush you enemies, see them driven before you and hear the laminations of their women. No seriously, use our forces that we can bring to use. The notion that we can buy their friendship is asking for a long protracted defeat. Either make war or leave. Afgans will respect brutal overwhelming force as their society seems at home with most simplistic ways unlike Iraqis who look like rocket scientists in comparison. Many in Afghanistan have had enough of the Taliban. Stabilizing the region will do more to put a change of mindset in both the irksome Iran and Muslim Nuclear Pakistan. Proof? The huge surge that should have been done in the very beginning in Iraq shows that you cannot have enough boots... in the field. Are the ever delightful duo, the Taliban and al-Qaeda our enemies or are they not? I think we have clearly said YES with blood, toil and treasure. Gen. Mc Crystal wants 40,000. Send in 80 thousand. Kick the two faced media out of the country and simply go to war. Let slip loose the dogs of war and crush them. Take a friendly houshold tip from Conan the Barbarian: Crush you enemies, see them driven before you and hear the laminations of their women. No seriously, use our forces that we can bring to use. The notion that we can buy their friendship is asking for a long protracted defeat. Either make war or leave. Afgans will respect brutal overwhelming force as their society seems at home with most simplistic ways unlike Iraqis who look like rocket scientists in comparison. Many in Afghanistan have had enough of the Taliban. Stabilizing the region will do more to put a change of mindset in both the irksome Iran and Muslim Nuclear Pakistan.

Proof? The huge surge that should have been done in the very beginning in Iraq shows that you cannot have enough boots… in the field.

]]> By: Louis L Cesar F Levy http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/09/shibboleths-of-the-afghanistan-debate/#comment-61262 Louis L Cesar F Levy Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:27:25 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/?p=16826#comment-61262 Clever politics and Wise Military strategies are needed in Afghanistan. This space is more than strategic in the process of the shaping or re-shaping the geoplitics in a near future. What will soon take place is a dispositif of different forces that have to confront in a Major Conflict which has just started. Great Military strategists never obey the sovereign when he hobble his Army. On the other hand every wise and sincere sovereign see wide and opt for his country's good. Clever politics and Wise Military strategies are needed in Afghanistan. This space is more than strategic in the process of the shaping or re-shaping the geoplitics in a near future. What will soon take place is a dispositif of different forces that have to confront in a Major Conflict which has just started. Great Military strategists never obey the sovereign when he hobble his Army. On the other hand every wise and sincere sovereign see wide and opt for his country's good.

]]> By: Anita http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/09/shibboleths-of-the-afghanistan-debate/#comment-61254 Anita Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:59:29 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/?p=16826#comment-61254 He will not withdraw our troops from that hell hole, he'll just wait & wait & wait until they're all killed then say "what's the use in sending more troops over there? They've already won!" Then he can get on with the owebama health plan. Right now that's his main goal other than killing the rest of our rights. He will not withdraw our troops from that hell hole, he'll just wait & wait & wait until they're all killed then say "what's the use in sending more troops over there? They've already won!" Then he can get on with the owebama health plan. Right now that's his main goal other than killing the rest of our rights.

]]> By: Robert , Mississippi http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/09/shibboleths-of-the-afghanistan-debate/#comment-60918 Robert , Mississippi Sun, 11 Oct 2009 08:51:11 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/?p=16826#comment-60918 Afghanistan reminds me of LBJ and Robert McNamara in the 60s thinking politics could run the Vietnam War. What happened was the TET offensive when thousands of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese regulars came out of the woodwork in a multipronged attack. Many lives were lost. I see the same thing happening in Afghanistan. I think Afghanistan will be Obama's desert like Iran was for Carter. Afghanistan reminds me of LBJ and Robert McNamara in the 60s thinking politics could run the Vietnam War. What happened was the TET offensive when thousands of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese regulars came out of the woodwork in a multipronged attack. Many lives were lost. I see the same thing happening in Afghanistan. I think Afghanistan will be Obama's desert like Iran was for Carter.

]]>