Damn good question. I suspect the answer is "up W's ass, as usual". (No drug references intended, your honour.)

The Afghanistan surge is the same place the Afghanistan war was - squandered on the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

People seem to forget the large number of NATO forces along with US forces in Afghanistan. Whereas in Iraq we are pretty much on our own...

Just curious. Do you think that says anything at all about the legitimacy of the invasion and occupation of Iraq?

Maybe we could boil this down a bit to questions that I continually get stuck on. Why the fuck did we invade Iraq? Are we officially there for any reasons other than because we went there, made a mess that we are now involved in, and it wouldn't be smart to up and bolt now, i.e. "cut and run"
Can I say sincerely without any trite jokes or shots; this administration at best has shown itself to be a bunch of jackasses, whose actions I cannot grasp. At worst there isn't enough space on this forum.

The only reason I can see for the U.S. being in Iraq is stupidity. If, as the article suggests, we had secured Afghanistan before moving on to Iraq, we would have a much more strategic position in dealing with Iran and Syria. As it stands Iran and Syria are using our stupidity, forcing us to fight a two front war, against an enemy whom has made, for lack of a better term, Vendetta a religion.

I'm beginning to think that the ONLY reason we went to war was to give the president the powers he and Dick wanted so badly. This had nothing to do with oil, WMD, Saddam, the Middle East, or WOT. This was about the war on balanced power. As Commander in Chief of a country at war, Bush operates clandestinely and without recourse.

Just in case the war in Iraq winds down during his "reign," this president will launch another offensive aimed at Iran, and argue the action is part of the larger War on Terror congress already approved.

It's worth noting that the official talked about "increased training and equipment for Afghanistan's fledgling army and police forces" and not a troop surge. There are real doubts that an Iraq style boost in numbers and aggression would at all productive.

There is no winning blow which can be delivered against the Taliban. The job is about winning hearts and minds, boosting the Afghan government in a wide range of fields and maintaining an acceptable level of security. IIRC, Bush is trying to get an additional $10 billion for Afghanistan, so the question should really be just how smart and effective the spending program is.

As they talk about the afganistan war.. the US seems very bored with afganistan... however, I think afganistan could have been delt with by now if.

1) They finished the job when it was started.
2) Focused on rebuilding the country quicker instead of letting the populus become disillusioned with us.

I also think afganistan was owed a lot by the world... as is Rwanada, Ethopia, and many other lesser known countries.

Afganistan could have been a success had it had the undivided attention it would have originally gotten. Instead of it now being... a 2nd front.

Also,
There wasn't a roadside bomb in Afganistan before Iraq. Had they finished the job in Afganistan.. they wouldn't have been so successfully with this tactic in afganistan.

You know... I wrote letters to bush saying that I'm terrified of bears... lobbying senators to include bears in the war on terro just didn't work... come on.. I'm terrified here.... they are far scarier than people who like to wear funny hats....

1)ummmm the job was finished with destruction of the Taliban, remember them the evil Islamic govenernment that had broad support from the mostly rural population of Afghanistan?
2) no war yet has ever been focus of the agressor to "rebuild" said country, whether it has been sanctioned by the UN or not.

Well that human life debt is growing exponentially by the year now isnt it, what better solution then to increase military expenditure espoused by Liberal, Conservative and NDP (the latter having an aversion to southern Afghanistan though)?
I think you got it mixed up , all the countries you cite have the worlds attention... to divide.
Whether it is political/economic it still equates to washing oneself of the embarrasing reality that their is no world governernment unless it serves Capitalism.
The economic returns arent looking to great for Afghanistan unless you involved in the drug trade, so it will probably be touted and supported by the CIA for awhile even as official political sands drift internationally.

Well I think Bush and CO Might have taken your suggestion seriously, though the rational thing to do at this point is to attack particular subspecies that are the most like to harbour members of the Bear terrorist network:


Polar Bears. Ice flows in the Arctic are the proverbial airplanes in which to terrorize the World and we just know that given the chance the Polar Bears would utilise Antarctica as well.....

it's up to you, each individual who dreams of Kabul gardens in the future or the past, time is not timeless

Sorry the above was ment to be a an Edit

An interesting proposition except when the lands I haved seen with my own eyes are slowly turning into a desert and I know it wont just effect me, I have already taken on Responsibility to do my part to fight that which is not a dream, but a nightmare unfolding in reality.
Removing the horror of war imposed on the behalf of capitalism from my part of the globe is the 1st step in trying to remove the mass of this nightmare.

When you put it that way I see that it is actually about breasts and the Ramones, and I feel much better, thanks

Apparently there IS a troop surge planned for Afghanistan. Didn't you hear?

Why oh why can my countrymyn not see anything beyond dualistic options. Why is our imagination bound to see only two options: 1) stay the course or b) cut-and-run.

There ARE other options, like a UN administered peacekeeping force to keep things calm as Iraqis get to work rebuilding their own country. Of course, that would mean US-based corporations would have to give up their fat crony-contracts and all the spoils of privatizing Iraqi industry.