New U.S. Military Commander Vows 'relentless' Campaign in Afghanistan

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBRHE7X98E.html

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The U.S. military installed a new commander in Afghanistan on Tuesday, a fresh Army general who pledged to be "relentless" in combating insurgents still dogging the country more than three years after the fall of the Taliban.

Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry took over from fellow three-star David Barno in a ceremony at the U.S. military headquarters in the Afghan capital, Kabul, before guests including Gen. John Abizaid, the chief of the U.S. Central Command.

Barno departs after more than 18 months in which the military has shifted its focus from the fruitless search for fugitives such as Osama bin Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Omar toward stabilizing a new strategic ally through reconstruction and rebuilding its feeble government.

The 18,000-strong coalition helped protect landmark elections won by U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai last year. Afghans are to vote for a new parliament in September to complete the country's democratic rebirth.

[Massachusetts]

1. The U.S. military installed a new commander in Afghanistan

[Nimrod]

2. Oooohhhh, "RELENTLESS"

Wow, what a dick-swinging word! I get hard just thinking about it!

Pheh. God I get sick of this stupid-ass macho posturing. It just reaffirms my opinion on the general intelligence of homo sapiens in general and Americans in specific - which is somewhere between rutabaga and cabbage.

Personally, I think it's a little closer to rutabaga. But that's just me.

[acmavm]

3. Yeah, well they could install Superman and the entire Justice League

(or whatever it's called) and they'd still be having problems with those pesky Afganis.

Putin has to be chuckling his ass off. He tried to warn george about what a problem the natives were and their historical lack of cooperation with foreign occupiers. For that matter, the Brits found that out once upon a time themselves.

Oh well, on to Iran.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

4. Gee....I remember the old Soviet Union dealing with Afghanistan....

...in much the same way. They left the same way that I believe US forces will eventually leave...but hopefully a lot sooner.

[UpInArms]

5. a fruitless search for

a guy on dialysis and a guy with one blind eye.

Are the incompetence bells ringing anywhere?

[leftchick]

6. they keep saying "the fall of the Taliban"

They seem to be controlling much more of Afghanistan than the coalition at this point.

[w4rma]

7. Wonderful. Another high ranking officer who doesn't have a clue how the

world works.

[devinsgram]

8. What happened to "freedom is on the march" there

Thought we won that one.

[jayfish]

9. Translation: We Have...

stopped looking for Osama bin Laden.

Jay

[leesa]

10. We will protect the gas pipeline to the last drop of these kids blood!

The ONLY reasons we are in Afghanistan are the gas pipeline and the opium crop. All the rest was fantasy.

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. That's their new code word (Bush used it 3 times during the press blowjob)

We're relentless....


(Oy...)

[bemildred]

12. Another blowhard. nt

[DELUSIONAL]

13. so . . . more women and children are going to die?

Because of the macho military commander's ego?

Warning -- call off all weddings.

[Roland99]

14. Kick their ass, seabass

[Hobarticus]

15. There's probably some retired Soviet officers who'd have some insight

on how best to accomplish that.

[msongs]

16. sounds like VIETNAM does it not?????? eom

[gratuitous]

17. Same uninformed posturing you hear from freshmen Congress critters

"Why, I'm gonna go to Washington and from my unassailable position of power from the third district of North Dakota, I will whip that institution into line and bring the special interests to their knees! All those corrupt insiders will know that there's a new power in the center of power!"

"Ah, Congressman Hick. Here's the key to your unassailable position of power: Congressional office Z-934. What? No, it's not exactly in the Capitol, per se, but if you ask that uniformed gentlemen down the hall, he'll be glad to print out a little map with directions for how to get there. See you on the floor!"

I'm also distressed that this new fellow is named Eikenberry, and wonder if he's related in any way to the Church of the Brethren Eikenberry family. I rather hope not.