US should follow Britain on Afghanistan: US senator

[usregimechange]

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin answers reporters' questions at the US Capitol on October 7. The United States should follow Britain's lead on Afghanistan, tying a modest troop increase to a major expansion of local forces and an anti-corruption drive in Kabul, Levin said Thursday.
(AFP/Getty Images/File/Chip Somodevilla)


WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States should follow Britain's lead on Afghanistan, tying a modest troop increase to a major expansion of local forces and an anti-corruption drive in Kabul, a US senator said Thursday.

Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Carl Levin, a top ally of President Barack Obama, said a large troop increase would only help the Islamist Taliban militia's "propaganda machine" pump out resentment against US soldiers.

"The British model demonstrates renewed resolve, by dedicating significant new resources, by committing to the counter-insurgency strategy and by demonstrating enhanced capability, while at the same time minimizing the perception of a foreign occupation," Levin said in a speech.

Levin underlined that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had tied the increase -- 500 soldiers, for an overall contingent of 9,500 -- to Afghan vows to expand the number and use of its security forces and to root out corruption.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091029/pl_afp/usafghanistanunrestbritain_20091029183435

[thunder rising]

1. But what are we going to do with all that dope? Nobody ever mentions that.

[HughMoran]

5. Smoke it

what else? :smoke:

[MadHound]

2. No, the US should simply leave,

Following the British model is not going to succeed, following the Vietnam model isn't going to succeed, there is no success, hell there's not even a definition of success. All that we're there for is a war for empire and oil. Time to get the hell out and bring the troops home.

[dflprincess]

3. Britain has already lost there

(twice). That would appear to be the "lead" we're following.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[justinaforjustice]

6. Solution to Afghanistan Problem: Legalize Heroin and All Other Drugs.

If heroin (and all other illegal drugs) were legalized, the Taliban, the Afghan warlords, Al Qaeda, Mexican and Colombian drug cartels, and the CIA would all be put out of business immediately. The money saved could be used for health care for all Americans, treatment programs for addicts, and food and water for millions around the world.

Taking the profits out of the drug business would solve an immense number of the world's problems. Addiction could then be treated as what it is, a health problem.