LA Times: Americans won't accept a 'long slog' in Afghanistan war, Gates says

[laststeamtrain]

Americans won't accept a 'long slog' in Afghanistan war, Gates says

The Defense secretary says forces must show progress in a year or risk losing public support, especially as casualties mount, with at least 50 U.S. and NATO deaths in July, the deadliest month yet.
By Julian E. Barnes

4:47 PM PDT, July 18, 2009

Reporting from Washington — After eight years, U.S.-led forces must show progress in Afghanistan by next summer to avoid public perception that the conflict has become unwinnable, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in a sharp critique of the war effort.

Gates said that victory was a "long-term prospect" under any scenario and that the U.S. would not win the war in a year's time. However, U.S. forces must begin to turn the situation around in a year, he said, or face the likely loss of public support.

"After the Iraq experience, nobody is prepared to have a long slog where it is not apparent we are making headway," Gates said in an interview. "The troops are tired, the American people are pretty tired."

Deep public unhappiness with the war in Iraq helped sink President George W. Bush's approval ratings, making him the most unpopular president in recent history, according to some surveys.

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gates19-2009jul19,0,477289.story
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I guess they could always just lie to the American people & say they're making progress. I wonder if they could get the media to go along with that?

[Mari333]

1. yeah well they lost my support yrs ago

[Johonny]

7. yeah too late

[FrenchieCat]

2. Did you read your own post?

it is Gates, who is Sec. of Defense who said...."Americans won't accept a 'long slog' in Afghanistan war".

So I don't think that the plan is for this administration to say that, and then turn around and lie.

But then, this is the LA Times.....
Who as of January 20th have published little
to instill any confidence in this President.

[laststeamtrain]

5. Let's argue. You take both sides. Let me know if I win.

Actually, don't bother letting me know. I don't read your posts very often & I'd probably miss it.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Well excuse the hell out of me for commenting on a thread you put up for comment

I didn't realize that I was not worth your while.

At the end of your post, you snarked that this administration
might end up lying to us about this war without any real indication
as to why you would make such a speculation,

But I guess I was supposed to shut the fuck up and not have shit to say about it, hey?
Cause you are above anyone making a comment that would go against what you're implying?

Well pardon the fuck out of me,
and please consider my uppity ass chastised for daring to counter your bullshit.
I'm just not worthy of responding to someone so great as you (I guess).

[laststeamtrain]

10. You got it. No charge. n/t.

[FrenchieCat]

11. Thank you Mass'r

[LiberalAndProud]

3. He's absolutely right.

We will not accept a long slog. There is no military solution in Afghanistan. Bring our troops home as expediently, as prudently possible.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Here is the SAD PART... we won the operational part of the war early on

we had a three month window to earn the trust from Afghanis, who were tired of a generation of war. But Bush piddled that away in Iraq. So the conflict became unwinable best case, 24 months into it...

I am sure this is not a popular view at DOD... but I'm willing to bet some of the planners KNOW this.

[NNN0LHI]

12. Hasn't winning historically consisted of the losing side surrendering?

And suing for peace, bargaining and agreeing on conditions if any, etc.?

No one has surrendered here.

Thats the problem. The Afghans don't have to win. They just don't have to lose.

When we go broke we will leave.

Thats what the Soviets did.

Don

[timeforpeace]

13. Each point, well said. I believe you are right.

[readmoreoften]

6. By "win" the war, he means.... what?

Having the joke of a US-backed illegitimate and ambivalent Afghan Army running things? A photoshopped image of a Pashtun goat herder kissing a mass manufactured poster of Karzai blogged all over the internet? I mean for fucks sake, just tell us we're out of East Asia and that we've always been at war with Eurasia at this point. We'll believe you.

Unfortunately, we can't win the war in Afghanistan until we're ready to fight full-on in Pakistan. If we do, the contractors won't have any way to make a profit.

[Yupster]

8. The original plan

was to use just a smattering of US trainers and air spotters to help the indigenous Afghan forces because the Afghans would never accept foreign troops. It worked great. And now we've been mission creeping for six years with the Democratic voices pushing the creep the farthest.

This is stupid. There is no way to win a military war in Afghanistan. We need to get out of there as soon as possible.

To the people living in the camps in Pakistan this is a once in a while troups over the border to take part in an operation against the infidels. There's no training, no supply lines, no plan. We're sttupid for taking any part in it.

I just read this book. It told an amazing story and the lesson is for us to get out of there now.

http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Mullah-Warrior-Masood-Farivar/dp/0871139820/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247969071&sr=1-10

[timeforpeace]

14. Bush was just hangin around after the initial phase. Doubling down now is a fool's errand.

And the Pakistan incursion will be poorly regarded by history.