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Actors George C. Scott, Brian Keith, Lee Marvin, John Russell, Robert Ryan, Tyrone Power and Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangeroo) were just a few of those pussies from Hollywood that were also highly decorated Marines during WW-II.
So, was my brother, son, nephew, grandson and . . .!
The Afghans have seen their type come and go for centuries.
This land is their land.
<img src="http://i25.tinypic.com/29icqu.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
There are three Marines in this picture.
<img src="http://i29.tinypic.com/beu5is.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic">
They will wait us out and party when we withdraw.
Just like the Iraqis.
We've made a hell of a lot more progress than any of those armies ever did and in a far shorter span of time. The biggest problem(s) we are facing are the Soviets and the Pakis. The Pakis are very strange allies to have, considering Pakistan has proven to be the safe haven for the radical Islamic terrorists and they balk at US operations seeking to deny the terrorists any safe haven.
It's the failed Yalu mistake all over again.
(Yalu = that river between North Korea and Red China, above which US fighters were forbidden from pursuing Communist MiGs over North Korea) This war-losing strategy was repeated again all through Vietnam, where military targets in Hanoi were off-limits. We never won Korea and we lost in Vietnam, largely due to hare-brained Rules of Engagement (RoE) rather than engaging in serious total war.
The bottom line is, NEVER pursue a strategy that allows the enemy safe haven ANYWHERE. )
But in Afghanistan, we adopted much of what we learned in Vietnam in using local national troops (PRU's, Kit Carson Scouts and Hmong and 'Yards) in this case, the [b]Kurds.[/b]
In short order, by using local troops, along with sensors and other technological advantages (like shooting wire-guided missiles down to where terrorists were hiding in [url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/campaign/ground/torabora.html]Tora Bora[/url]) we quickly broke the main strength of the enemy.
The problems remained, to include woefully-inadequate troop strengths and the safe-havens afforded to the enemy in Pakistan, and supply routes which have always been threatened by cut-off, either by terrorists themselves or by the Russians, with whom relations run hot and cold.
Bottom line, is that the US has succeeded where many foreign armies have failed, and with incredibly small losses and within an incredibly short time.
Certainly, more work needs to be done, but a Surge in Afghanistan would help to break the back of remaining resistance, along with a less restrictive RoE.
All true (and in the end our results may be the same) but it has nothing to do with the fact that US Marines are absolutely one of the best fighhting forces in the world.
And they're kicking ass in fine style.
To a few misguided posters here. We were attacked. We are not there to occupy the country. We are there to root out evil. Gengis Khan (Kerry) was there to occupy and enslave the populace.
Big difference.
We can be back in a matter of hours if asked by a democratically elected government.
Ask any German in 1944, walking away from his stalled [i]Koenigstiger[/i] Panzer, one of the finest tanks of WWII, because it was out of fuel, or any German pilot, fists clenched in helpless rage as American P-47's strafe and destroy his ME-262 fighter, faster than anything the allies had by 100 mph, while it sits, without fuel on his airfield, and you will understand how vital fuel is for any nation's security.
The great military thinker, [b][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Thayer_Mahan]Alfred Thayer Mahan[/url][/b], discussed the need for forward fueling bases in detail over 100 years ago.
But as a flea-bitten dog who licks his own balls and ass, [b]you[/b] couldn't possibly fathom concepts like [b]national interest, national security[/b] and [b]the need for fuel to run the country.[/b]
Then again, Democrats in Congress, who consistently vote down America's ability to become energy independent by drilling here and drilling now, can't comprehend those concepts either.
The pipeline is planned to deliver oil/gas to Pakistan and India from Tajikistan;Stans.
The Afghans have seen their type come and go for centuries.
This land is their land.[/quote]
[quote]History is on Woof's side... Alexander tried, Gengis Khan tried, the British Empire tried, the Russians tried, and now we are embroiled... maybe the outcome will be different... maybe not.[/quote]
the one thing you fail to see that differs us from everyone prior. we dont want to take it. we want them to rule themselves.
The pipeline is planned to deliver oil/gas to Pakistan and India from Tajikistan;Stans.[/quote]
Really!?!
http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1109618.html
Little history:
October 11, 1996: Afghan Pipeline Key to ‘One of the Great Prizes of the 21st Century
December 4, 1997: Taliban Representatives Visit Unocal in Texas
February 12, 1998: Unocal VP Advocates Afghan Pipeline Before Congress
Unocal Vice President [b]John J. Maresca--later to become a Special Ambassador to Afghanistan[/b]--testifies before the House of Representatives that until a single, unified, friendly government is in place in Afghanistan, the trans-Afghan pipeline will not be built. He suggests that with a pipeline through Afghanistan, the Caspian basin could produce 20 percent of all the non-OPEC oil in the world by 2010.
July 21, 2001: US Official Threatens Possible Military Action Against Taliban by October if Pipeline Is Not Pursued
http://visibility911.com/blog/?cat=316
Ever look on Heaven's scene
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines
I almost forgot the Navy's first rule of gun fights: send the Marines.
Theirs!
Henrik Bondtofte
[url=http://www.hb-seo.dk]SEO[/url] consultant
This part of the world should not have a damn thing to do with life here in the US; but it does, and it will until we convince the folks over there that we do not intend to pull out until the job is done. The job--bring radical Islam to heel, or kill them all. These are our only options.
Only a dullard would equate what is happening in Iraq right now with a comeback by the al Qaida--they are no longer free to roam--they are setting off car bombs, strapping bombs to themselves and walking into hotels--in general taking on soft targets. There is no enthusiam for their approach to life, and they will be put to sleep for good sooner, rather than later.
The sacrifices made by our military personnel and their familes have been worthwhile, despite the constant bashing by the likes of Barack Obama, who apparently now suddenly gets it. The only thing good about his presidency, really--the constant pounding by the pressies has gone away, and this is not good for the bad guys.
First proposed some 15 years ago, the project has never been carried out, whether due to instability in Afghanistan or strained ties between Pakistan and India. But the parties involved feel that now may be the time to finally carry out the project, which would benefit all four countries.
The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project certainly would help the consumer countries, Pakistan and India, while Turkmenistan could make billions of dollars from gas exports. But arguably it would benefit Afghanistan most by providing steady transit fees to fill depleted state coffers in Kabul.
However, the security situation in Afghanistan, long a major obstacle to TAPI, remains as much a problem today as it's ever been.
"If we consider the present security situation of Afghanistan, I think it is too much to consider that this project can be done," Afghan analyst Waliullah Rahmani tells RFE/RL's Turkmen Service. "It will cross from Kandahar and Herat. The southern cities and provinces of Afghanistan are completely unstable."
Nonetheless, oil ministers, officials, and experts from the four countries have begun to discuss a range of issues regarding the proposed project during two days of talks in Islamabad.
Security and political/social stability quickly became concerns, and Iran had a hand in dissuading it, also. It would have made a new, major export point for oil and gas outside of the Persian Gulf.