Americanpolitics

In the middle of his 60-day reassessment of the Afghan war, the replacement U.S. commander, General Stanley McChrystal, is attempting to recognize a way to turn this war around. After eight-years of battle, the hope is that he will be able to come up with a new perspective. After eight years of battle and so many Afghan lives that have been lost, hate of the “outsiders” is acute.

According to an article at Time.com, the goal is to re-calibrate the war effort with the intent of showing the people that the coalition forces increase their security, thereby draining some of the ill feelings that have been displayed towards the coalition. McChrystal states that what he really wants is the equivalent of a peaceful takeover where the Taliban are forced out. McChrystal goes on to say “we will not win based on the number of Taliban we kill, but instead on our ability to separate insurgents from the people.

While this may be the goal of America, the Taliban is not giving up or being “forced out” but instead are stepping up the offensive and more lives have been lost in the violence that has become the signature of the Afghan war, with roadside bombs and suicide bombers on the rise.

As a result of this increase in violence, recently, the discussion has arisen as to whether to provide security at military bases in Afghanistan which would provide 24-hour protection to include protection of vehicle convoys traveling throughout the country. My question is would this “security” eliminated the dangers of roadside bombs?

For some reason, when I think or write about the war in Afghanistan, my stomach does flip-flops. It seems there is a level of extreme violent pushback from the Taliban in this area that seems to unnerve me and the more American soldiers attempt to gain ground, the more violent the insurgents become.

I worry about our troops over there mostly because “drugs” are big business, big money and in effect, Americans were attempting to put a stop to the drug trafficking, cut off an income stream that I am sure is making someone/some group very rich. I would not be surprised if opium brings in more money than oil, money that is essentially fueling this war.

With so much at stake, I am positive those who are growing poppy in the area feel threatened and angered by U.S. intervention and have undoubtedly driven some Afghans to side with the Taliban. The United States government has spent millions of dollars annually, in recent years, to support poppy eradication in Afghanistan with the hope of steering these poppy farmers to cultivating more mainstream crops. How effective has this campaign been?

Although, the focus is shifting, at this time, away from poppy eradication to protection of Afghan people through earning or buying civilian support with a renewed focus on counterinsurgency, this strategy has not, thus far, been effective with July being the deadliest month so far.

As I watch the violence unfold in Afghanistan with the unalterable urge to kill that the Taliban/al-Qaeda is showing, coupled with the bickering and nuclear threats that are taking place between Iran and Israel entwined with the understanding of how hate never ends, I am so worried and I pray for the troops that are over there in a foreign country, those that will soon be sent over there to fight a war that seems to be never ending or winnable.

FREE Pfc. BOWE R BERGDAHL!!!!

And that’s the way I see it!!!!!

Silk Areca Palm Floor Plant