Why must we wait another two years before all the Western troops pul out of Afghan?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.guardian.c...toll-afghanistan-2000

The killings go on and what for, will it be any different in two years time, except for the fact that more lives will be sacrificed.

Notice no party, is demanding we get out now, even during the US election campaign.

[Gromit]

The relatives of the 14,700 civilians killed in Afghanistan are probably asking the same question.

[emmie]

surprising that that there is such a precise figure on those killed.
I am in total agreement, why can't they leave now, no one wanted them there, and they are just sacrificing lives for no reason.

[New Judge]

Yes I'm sure they are, Gromit.

The entire escapade has been an absolute unmitigated disaster facilitated by politicians of all shades in many nations who have not had the decency to examine history. Essentially the Afghans do not like other nations interfering in their affairs - and who can blame them. Their way of life and governance does not accord with ours in the West. It never will and why should it?

The notion that flooding the country with foreign troops will somehow make the country more "civilised" and less likely to breed terrorism is naive in the extreme. Regretfully all the lives that have been lost in that godforsaken place have been lost in vain. Whether we leave now, in two years, ten years or a hundred years time will make not a jot of difference (apart from the additional lives that will be lost). The result of out training the Afghans to police themselves has simply led to them being able to slaughter the troops that are there trying to "civilise" them.

We should never have embarked upon such a foolhardy enterprise and we should leave forthwith.

[emmie]

totally agree, ^^

[venator]

I did a post ages ago when we first went in, along the lines of "every army which has gone into Afghanistan has gone home with its tail between its legs. War against invaders is the Afghan national sport."

Told you so...

[emmie]

no one needs to be told, the shame of it is that they should be pulling out now, the Afghanis have to deal with their own problems, it was never our fight.

[Gromit]

The mission was not to civilise Afghanistan, it was to install a Western friendly puppet leader. Not sure Khazi is living up to our faith in him.

Afghanistan is strategically important, especially if Iran is the real enemy.

[sandyRoe]

Didn't Obama promise that the US troops would be out before the next presidential election?

[Gromit]

sandyRoe

Obama did not quite promise that. He promised America would win.

http://www.nytimes.co....html?ref=global-home

[bazwillrun]

the troops are still there to train the afghanis to provide their own "security" and "re-building"
Quite laughable really

How long do you think puppet Kharzi will last once the foreign troops are gone.

No doubt hes already stolen millions of the aid money given to "his country" for his retirement fund, that is if he lives long enough to get to spend it.

[Lonnie]

Write to the PM and tell him how you feel, the same thing is discussed over and over, and it doesn't do anything, and at least it'll make you feel you've done something.

[emmie]

this is an answer and debate site, and perhaps there are any number of people here who might just do that, or this already comes to the attention of some who might have some input into politics.

[andy-hughes]

It will take two years for the government to very slowly build the myth that we have 'won' in Afghanistan and that the Afghans will take to deomracy like ducks to water - all good, well done chaps, cheers all round.

The reailty, as history has shown, will be the same as when the Russians left - the Afggahn people were left in a state of chaos, and they were very keen to welcome an ogranisation who could come in and establish a sense of order which the Afghans understand (note to Western governments: this may not be the same as democracy forced by military invasion) and such an organisation did duly appear - they are called the Taliban, and they are just waiting their time as they have done before.

As I have opined previously - the Taliban only ever have to wait for any invading force to go home, which is easy for them - they are not going anywhere, they are home already.

[Thatcherite]

the whole sh!th0le is not worth one British life. These heathens cannot be civilised, pull out now it makes no difference.

[askyourgran]

The Taliban are ready to step into our shoes once the Army leave Afghanistan. Nothing has really changed, our troops are in danger all the time the very people they are trying to help are turning on them, and they will fraternise with the enemy once the troops leave. Pakistan is not to be trusted either. Every soldiers' death is needless they should come home.

[andy-hughes]

I think New Judge sums up the issue as succinctly as usual.

Failure to examine history leaves us doomed to make the same mistakes - as we have done here.

This song says it more eloquently than I can - but with the same level of bitter anger felt my the posters so far . Media URL: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=youtube%20dad's%20gonna%20&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CCgQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DG-yySxecVAg&ei=ZLdoUK2wKYWs0QX_pIHoDw&usg=AFQjCNGAaeZnKakhn2v1HgXaVTI0YF41qg
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[youngmafbog]

It does seem more and more difficult to find someone who agrees with keeping the forces there. Always going to be a difficult call for the politicians though, for instance just think what the outcry would be if we pulled out and then bombings in the UK increased?

[andy-hughes]

youngmafbog - the problem is, there is no easy way out - literally.

The day will come when the troops all leave, and the Afghans are left to sort out their issues themselves.

Eventually - probably quite quickly - the media will start confirming that despite the huge financial outlay and the massive loss of life, military and civilian, nothing has really changed.

The notion of defeating terrorism by military means remains as futile as it always has - why on earth no politicians can see that this is not the way forwward remains a mystery.

[emmie]

AH, the media do that already, waste of lives, they should all come home now seem to be the order of the day. I wish it were so.

[andy-hughes]

Agreed em10 - but it will swing into overdrive once the last troops exit.

How on earth do suppsedly intelligent people manage to carry decisions like this - that result in thousands of fatalities, and nothing of any value achieved. It literally beggars belief.