Update to an old thread re: Bin Laden

[Anmar]

Awhile back, i posted that i thought our government wasn't really trying to capture or kill Osama Bin Laden.  The senate took the opportunity of the crazy shopping weekend to release a report that pretty much explains that although we had the chance to capture him, we chose not to.

Of course, a link to the actual report is as follows:

http://foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Tora_Bora_Report.pdf

Interesting stuff, the policy of the Bush regime was to keep as few troops on the ground in Afghanistan as possible and to limit their engagements with the Taliban and Al Queda

[jarhead]

I won't waste my time reading that crap. Look who the chairman is. Comrade John"I have 3 Purple Hearts " Kerry. Remember Kerry ?? The guy who raped women---cut off heads---------

[Varmit]

Okay, so they used the wrong tactics, choosing to use airstrikes instead troops.  It happens.  The Bush administration made the wrong choice.  They are doing the same thing that the obama adminstration is doing now, that is worrying about world opinion instead of finishing the job.  For them, it is a catch 22.  Either they dramatically swell our troop numbers in afghanistan and have the world see the U.S. as an oppressive regime, or they use our airpower and take a chance on missing the son of a bitch.  But quite frankly, it doesn't really matter what Bush did or didn't do, he isn't in charge anymore, so why bring it up?  Unless of course, it was used as a ploy to draw attention away from obamas failure as president.  Which begs the question, if obama used Bushs policies on the war on terror as a campaign platform, then why is obama making the same mistakes Bush did?  As I recall, Gen. McCrystal has asked repeatedly for more troops, between 40,000 and 80,000, now.  Yet obama says that he will only send 35,000, and that they will trickle in over the next year and a half. 

[Diane Amberg]

I'm serious about this, not defending anybody, but is the problem that we can't train and supply new troops? Where would they come from? One of my friends here ( recent military) said we've about run out of new people volunteering and we'd have to start the draft again to come up with the volume you suggested.  I have another friend who recently retired after 22 years in the Army. I'll ask him too.

[Varmit]

I don't think that we would have any problem supplying the troops, coming up with new troops might be a problem.  Frankly, I wouldn't want to serve under our current adminstration. 

As for a draft...if obama tried to implment one, I think that the Afghan front would be the least of his worries.

[Diane Amberg]

Well, yes, since all military has always been run by a socialist system, I can why you would object. Not sure why you didn't object before, but....Poke, poke  Sorry, I was just recently reminded about this by a student of military history. No evil intent, honest. As it is I have a feeling we'll still be over there long after Pres. O is gone. One of our recent returnees here told me unless something really changes fast, it'll be just one more duty station like Korea is....Interesting thought.

[Varmit]

Diane, I realize you didn't mean any disrespect by your comment.  But please DO NOT do it again.  I chose to serve out of a sense of Loyalty, Duty, and Honor.  Somethings you just don't "poke" at.