SUN EDITORIAL:

A downward spiral

Failed Bush policy has made a mess of Afghanistan for the next president to clean up

Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008 | 2:09 a.m.

After the 9/11 attacks, there was strong bipartisan support in the United States to fight al-Qaida and its Taliban allies in Afghanistan. Initially, U.S.-led forces prevailed. New leadership was installed, headed by President Hamid Karzai, and it appeared as though Afghanistan was making progress toward establishing a democracy.

But that success was fleeting. With America wrapped up in the war in Iraq, the Bush administration lost focus on Afghanistan and put it on a back burner. As we came to learn soon after, that was a huge mistake, one the next president will inherit.

This week we learned from the Associated Press of a draft version of the latest National Intelligence Estimate recently prepared by U.S. intelligence agencies, which said Afghanistan is now in danger of falling into a “downward spiral” marked by violence and chaos. The intelligence report is a reflection of failed Bush administration policy in Afghanistan.

Far more American troops are now dying there than in Iraq. Al-Qaida and Taliban forces still move freely in the tribal regions along theAfghanistan-Pakistan border, and al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden remains on the loose.

One positive step was made on Friday when NATO defense ministers, at the urging of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, agreed to help strike Afghan opium production facilities that have been financing the insurgency opposed by allied forces. But even this measure is one that should have been taken years ago, rather than seven years after we initially invaded the country.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Thursday told reporters: “The trends across the board are not going in the right direction. I would anticipate next year would be a tougher year.”

President Bush has ordered 8,000 more U.S. troops for Afghanistan by early next year but Gen. David Mc-

Kiernan, commander of American forces there, said he thinks the United States will need up to 15,000 additional soldiers on top of what the White House wants.

Because we remain bogged down in Iraq, any troop increases in Afghanistan are certain to spread our combat forces even thinner. Imagine what will happen if our troops are needed elsewhere. That will result in some tough choices for either Barack Obama or John McCain when he assumes the presidency in January.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By neiman1

10/11/08 at 5:20 a.m.

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Corruption in governments overseas is hardly ours to point out when we have Reid, Dodd and Barney Frank neck deep in our own corrupt mess. Giving Billions to their friends in the mortgage business for campaign donations and who knows how much privately like Dodd's own home mortgage. We need to end corruption and special favors here before we decide another leader is corrupt.
By Future2012

10/11/08 at 6:32 a.m.

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While this article is looking backward, the question is what is President-elect Barack Obama going to do.

Barack Obama has said that the Gen. David Petraeus troops in Afghanistan are "air-raiding villages and killing civilians".

Obama has made actionable decisions of:
-disapproving of Gen. David Petraeus,
-disapproving the Petraeus designed Surge operation (because he said it would fail),
-and refused to approve funding for Iraq and Afghanistan

Yet Obama wants to send more 15,000 U.S. troops not NATO troops.

Obama's old campaign position of immediate "withdraw" has had a tactical change to one of a drawdown to "something" in 16 months in Iraq, and Obama now wants full funding for an on-the-cheap long term two combat brigades surge in Afghanistan.

Barack Obama has not explained what his combat strategy would be in Afghanistan. Why 15,000 more troops? What will they do?

The Gen. David Petraeus counterinsurgency strategy clearing, holding, rebuilding, the civil society and the infrastructure, can work in Afghanistan.

However, consistent with Obama's principled policy that
- Gen. David Petraeus' Afghanistan troops are "air-raiding villages and killing civilians"
- Gen. David Petraeus counterinsurgency strategy does not work

Then Barak Obama must fire Gen. David Petraeus.

But what is Obama going to to do?

Air-raiding villages and killing civilians in Pakistan's tribal areas using the failed Clinton "Over-the-Horizon" fighting strategy.

What is Obama going to do with the new troops in Afghanistan?

What Afghanistan combat strategy is Obama going use?

Who is Obama's new General going to be?

What is the timetable to leave Afghanistan?
By tokaloshe

10/11/08 at 6:46 a.m.

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You have blamed bush for the last 8, why not blame him for the next 8?
By Gordon

10/11/08 at 8:10 a.m.

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The partial quote is misleading. Obama said once, in August 2007, when pressing to send more troops to Afghanistan: "We've got to get the job done there and that requires us to have enough troops" so they aren't just "air-raiding villages and killing civilians." Shortly before his comment, an Associated Press analysis showed that more civilians in Afghanistan had been killed by Western forces than by militants.

Republicans need to listen to McCain and learn to be honest and respectful. McCain realizes that the baseless lies being thrown at Obama are hurting McCain's campaign.

John McCain said Obama is a "decent person and a person that you do not have to be scared of as president of the United States."

McCain later said of Obama "He's a decent, family man, [a] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign is all about."

McCain answering another baseless attack on Obama "If you want a fight, we will fight. But we will be respectful. I admire Sen. Obama and his accomplishments."

Watch McCain stand up to the vile lies coming from his supporters here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf6YKOkfF...
By Future2012

10/11/08 at 10:13 a.m.

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Stop looking back. Nobody cares about what McCain is doing. The election is over

The question is what is President-elect Barack Obama going to do.

-Will Barak Obama fire Gen. David Petraeus?

-Will Obama Air-raiding villages and kill civilians in the Pakistan's tribal areas using the Clinton "Over-the-Horizon" fighting strategy?

-What is Obama going to do with the new troops in Afghanistan?

-What Afghanistan combat strategy is Obama going use?

-Who is Obama's new General going to be?

-What is the timetable to leave Afghanistan?
By Johnathan_Abbinett

10/11/08 at 12:26 p.m.

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We should look back so we can learn from our mistakes and not make the same mistakes again!

It is important to realize that Barack Obama was right about NOT going into Iraq! Had we "stayed the course" in Afghanistan, where the real 911 terrorists are headquartered, and NOT gone into Iraq, the other terrorists would have had to go to Afghanistan - where we could have engaged them, most often, in the open and away from the innocent civilians!

Bush and McCain backers need to get that fact!

Afghanistan is a Just War and had we listened to our Generals and Obama we would still have the massive international support that Bush squandered! Who knows, maybe, just maybe we would have captured or killed Bin Laden by now and our troops would have already been home?

We're all for moving forward - but, anybody that stubbornly refuses to review the past is simply in denial (and probably needs a Mental Health check-up)!
By Future2012

10/11/08 at 2:20 p.m.

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Duh we know that the Afghanistan is just - Since Obama has already learned and lectured us on the past, and from the 2nd debate we know Obama's primary consideration to go to War is genecide (though that was not the case in Afghanistan, but was in Iraq), then the question still is what is President-elect Barack Obama going to do in the future.

Can any Democrate explain the details of what Obama is going to do and why?

- Does Obama have a plan to win? He never says "I will win".

-Will Barak Obama fire Gen. David Petraeus? If not, why not?

-Will Obama air-raiding villages and kill civilians in the Pakistan's tribal areas using the "Over-the-Horizon" fighting strategy?

-What is Obama going to do with the 15,000 new U.S. troops in Afghanistan?

-What Afghanistan combat strategy is Obama going use?

-Who is Obama's new General going to be?

-What is the timetable to leave Afghanistan?
By cin4711

10/11/08 at 9:47 p.m.

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All about McCain:

http://sweetliberty.blog-city.com/the_de...