Unless you've been living in a box for the last few years, you know that Barack Obama ordered additional troops to Afghanistan since him taking office. Recently he has called to withdraw his "surge" troops (30,000) by 2012. While saying that, he says the military is given the option to how long they want to wait to have them withdraw and how many troops at a time will be withdrawn. Even worse, that will still leave approximately 90,000 troops in Afghanistan. One could understand why the government wants to be in Afghanistan if they were giving us something back. But not only are they not doing that, theres rumors throughout the media that there government is helping the terrorists were fighting, along with helping terrorists in other areas. We are recieving nothing in return for helping people that are spitting in our face. I understand and appreciate the help we do for the men, woman and children we help it that country, but it has taken too much for our own country. America is in no condition to be spending billions and billions of dollars on a country that is not helping us, never has and likely never will. 320 million dollars per month are given to Afghanistan that is mostly wasted by the government. Only 3 provinces of the 34 in Afghanistan are free from Taliban control. Those 3 are the smallest provinces in Afghanistan. I am in the beginning stages of planning events protesting the Presidents withdraw plan, and to demand that all troops are pulled out of Afghanistan. At the events i would like to have a petition signing, along with bands and speakers. I'd like to here feedback from the hipforum community on this idea because i appreciate everyones opinion and would like to see if it would or could become a popular thing.
While no supporter of Obama, I do agree that when and how the troops are withdrawn is a decision that should be left to the military. Such is only prudent since even while ordered to withdraw, our commanders and troops will most likely still be expected to accomplish the given mission (whatever that was/is) with a smaller force. The announcement of leaving the option to the military, however, should be viewed as exactly what it is: a political move fashioned to gain support among those hard-line supporters of our military (of whom I am one) while appearing not to micro-manage military action. Agreed. We are getting, have gotten, and will get nothing (other than grief from, and a more complicated relationship with the Afghans) in return neither for the lives of more than 1500 members of our armed forces nor for the billions in “financial aid”. Our helping the men, women and children of Afghanistan will only produce yet another generation of Afghans who hate the U.S. In effect, we may be saving the lives of those who will commit acts of war or terrorism against us and/or our real allies – perhaps using weapons and training we have provided. The U.S. should withdraw ALL troops and leave the Afghans with exactly what they so apparently want or at least find as an acceptable way of life: government by rule of violence perpetrated by religious zealots allied with drug lords. I wish you well and a skeptical ‘good luck’.
