The year is coming to an end, and we’re still in Afghanistan, where we’ve had no business being after chasing the Taliban from power. As I’ve argued repeatedly for the last six years, the West’s mistake wasn’t going into Afghanistan or Iraq to remove their murderous, hostile regimes, but staying after accomplishing the mission.
After the end of major combat operations in May 2003, or at the latest after Dec. 13, 2003, when Saddam Hussein was pulled from his spider-hole, the Western Coalition had no business in Iraq. After December 2001, when the interim presidency was conferred on Hamad Karzai, or at the latest after Dec. 7, 2004, when Karzai was elected president, the Western Coalition, including Canada, had no business in Afghanistan.
By crushing two evil, aggressive tyrannies, the armed forces did everything they can usefully and reliably do. Soldiers can’t build nations. At most, they can clear the way for people to build their own. Some seize the opportunity and do; others don’t. They may replace one hostile, aggressive ruler with another even more hostile and aggressive, as Germany replaced the Kaiser and the Hohenzollern dynasty after the First World War with Adolf Hitler and the Nazis — in which case the military may have to return and crush the hostile regime again.
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Both wars could have been effectively over/won were it not for the media, most of whom are not on the side of the Good Guys. Yes there are Good Guys and Bad Guys!
If the US and the other participants went in with the collateral gamage as an intermediate concern as opposed to the PRIMARY concern (you know -the winning the hearts and minds) and 'cleaned out areas as has been the objective in past wars, things today would be very different. Instead we have the Taliban terrorizing their own in Afghaqnistan as is the multiplying remnants of Al Qaida in Iraq, causing as much upheaval as is possible.
You have to 'convert' those hearts and minds (the Taliban and Al qaida) one way or another to reason, not try to reason with them. If destruction is required then the sooner, the quicker, the better!
Our brave canadian soldiers and police officers are the number one enemy of the majority of MSM.
That is my impression anyway.
Post WWII or for sure since Korea the MSM has effectively and with enthusiasm and zeal taken on the role of enemy propogandist. When the majority of journalists finally die and go to their just rewards (where ever that may be) they will walk to their final news briefing on a path littered with dead shrivelled lotus blossoms. Waiting with open arms to welcome them will be Toyko Rose and her ilk.
Jonas doesn't take into consideration that pulling out costs would be astronomical and having to go back in when insurgents reoccupy the territory en masse possibly no likely planning another 9./11 or multiples like it, would be inadvisable.
A report today out of Sweden says its gov't has pledged added manpower support based on their recent terrorism incident. Where if it had gone according to plan hundreds in a nearby shopping centre location would have been taken out.
When Jonas refers to "evil" regimes, the jihadis grow and thrive in cracks and soles and there's no shortage of them along the border in the Khyber Pass between Afghan and Pakistan. What the U.S. bombing will accomplish in Pakistan will accomplish is hard to say. The Chinese and Russians going in with Nato could possibly end the eleven year mission. The Chinese premier is in Pakistant now on an official visit.
The insane jihadis won't be changing their mind anytime this century. Meanwhile the economic graveyard of empires is the result. Russia and China are making a mistake supporting them in any way. And to their own national detriment.
that should read, "thrive and grow in cracks and holes."