Thursday
12Nov2009
US ENVOY OPPOSES US HELP FOR US TROOPS..
Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 08:32AM The US ambassador in Kabul has written to the White House arguing against sending thousands more American troops to Afghanistan. In a leaked cable, Karl Eikenberry said President Karzai's government should first prove it would tackle corruption. (Which should occur the day after hell freezes over!)
The message arrived amid intense debate over strategy, with President Obama yet to make a decision on troop numbers.
This dramatic intervention would put the ambassador at odds with generals seeking reinforcements.
In the meantime, as Obama prevaricates, those US soldiers in the military theatre are being maimed and killed as their commanders beg for more support. Political games paid for by US blood in the field.
tagged Afghanistan, US Military
Afghanistan, US Military 
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Reader Comments (10)
Which to my mind underlines the necessity to pull all the troops out now - both American and British - since as you so rightly pointed out David there will never come a day when Karzai's government can tackle corruption.
In the meantime let's not talk about strategy unless it's the strategy of leaving them to it and safeguarding the allied forces.
I suspect Obama wants to withdraw but can't make a decision to do so because he campaigned on Afghanistan being the right war as opposed to Iraq's wrong war and because Robert Gates is strongly against withdrawing.
They're going to withdraw sooner or later (tale twixt legs), better to just get it done now.
In a leaked cable, Karl Eikenberry said ...
Oh?
The American ambassador to Kabul sends a cable to the President and it's leaked? That's not a mistake, accident or example of sloppy security.
So why would Obama make it known that the emissary to Kabul, a general no less, opposes any increase in troop numbers until the impossible (Karzai cleaning up Afghanistan) happens?
Does Obamses now regret his championing of the Good War? If he still believes in the mission, the Iraq troop surge provides a lesson and it's not as if Baghdad is free of corruption. So why the dithering in Afghanistan and now a 'leaked' cable from the ambassador?
Since we have a few thousand troops over there and the entire strategy depends on a simple yes or no from the Oval Office, it would be entirely in order for someone over here (some hope) to suggest that He might like to get a grip and stop buggering about.
I'm horribly upset about this. The number of wounded coalition troops are spiking - they need help and they need it now. Our pretend 'CIC' isn't going to give it to them, it seems.
Damn him to hell.
"Horribly upset?"
Gosh! Are you upset enough to go and fight? or send your children into the great Neo-Con mess?
I'll bet you are not that upset at all. Damn who to hell?
Obama...Obama....Obama....make a decision already!
Some Commander-in Chief, heh? He will not make a decision. Meanwhile, troops die and are maimed. Better to just get out altogether than "pretend" fight as Obama does.
I suspect Obama wants to withdraw but can't make a decision to do so because he campaigned on Afghanistan being the right war as opposed to Iraq's wrong war and because Robert Gates is strongly against withdrawing.
i suspect its probably closer to the opposite. I reckon he hasnt figured how to market the "surge" to the anti-war left. More troops are headed to the region, its only a matter of how many he can politically sell at the least cost. My guess is that somewhere just north of the median estimates will be sent. Either way it will define his first term or his entire presidency.
Pinky,
I am a proud veteran of the United States Army. I have done my duty, and would again gladly. I've said many times that a terrorist's worst nightmare would be me with an automatic weapon in their god-forsaken desert in the middle one of my menopausal moments. I've had it up to my eyeballs with their bullshit.
If my daughters decide to join the military when they are old enough, I will be very proud of them. In fact, my little one wants to go to West Point.
That was me - Monica