Staff Sgt. Aaron Taylor. (Photo courtesy of the Taylor family)
Posted on 10/14/2009 12:10:14 PM PDT by Dubya
Sgt. Aaron Taylor had been in the country for about a month A bomb technician from Camp Pendleton has become the latest locally based Marine to die from a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Aaron Taylor died Friday when he exited a vehicle and stepped on the homemade explosive, his brother Kyle Taylor said in a telephone interview from the family's home in Minnesota.
The Defense Department announced his death Tuesday.
"He was an all-around good guy," 21-year-old Kyle Taylor said of his older brother. "He was really ambitious and everything he did he went after 150 percent."
(Excerpt) Read more at nctimes.com ...
Staff Sgt. Aaron Taylor. (Photo courtesy of the Taylor family)
Saving Face in Afghanistan
Congressman Ron Paul
This past week there has been a lot of discussion and debate on the continuing war in Afghanistan. Lasting twice as long as World War II and with no end in sight, the war in Afghanistan has been one of the longest conflicts in which our country has ever been involved. The situation has only gotten worse with recent escalations.
The current debate is focused entirely on the question of troop levels. How many more troops should be sent over in order to pursue the war? The administration has already approved an additional 21,000 American service men and women to be deployed by November, which will increase our troop levels to 68,000. Will another 40,000 do the job? Or should we eventually build up the levels to 100,000 in addition to that? Why not 500,000 – just to be “safe”? And how will public support be brought back around to supporting this war again when 58 percent are now against it?
I get quite annoyed at this very narrow line of questioning. I have other questions. We overthrew the Taliban government in 2001 with less than 10,000 American troops. Why does it now seem that the more troops we send, the worse things get? If the Soviets bankrupted themselves in Afghanistan with troop levels of 100,000 and were eventually forced to leave in humiliating defeat, why are we determined to follow their example? Most importantly, what is there to be gained from all this? We’ve invested billions of dollars and thousands of precious lives – for what?
The truth is it is no coincidence that the more troops we send the worse things get. Things are getting worse precisely because we are sending more troops and escalating the violence. We are hoping that good leadership wins out in Afghanistan, but the pool of potential honest leaders from which to draw have been fleeing the violence, leaving a tremendous power vacuum behind. War does not quell bad leaders. It creates them. And the more war we visit on this country, the more bad leaders we will inadvertently create.
Another thing that war does is create anger with its indiscriminate violence and injustice. How many innocent civilians have been harmed from clumsy bombings and mistakes that end up costing lives? People die from simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time in a war zone, but the killers never face consequences. Imagine the resentment and anger survivors must feel when a family member is killed and nothing is done about it. When there are no other jobs available because all the businesses have fled, what else is there to do, but join ranks with the resistance where there is a paycheck and also an opportunity for revenge? This is no justification for our enemies over there, but we have to accept that when we push people, they will push back.
The real question is why are we there at all? What do our efforts now have to do with the original authorization of the use of force? We are no longer dealing with anything or anyone involved in the attacks of 9/11. At this point we are only strengthening the resolve and the ranks of our enemies. We have nothing left to win. We are only there to save face, and in the end we will not even be able to do that.
That’s doubly harsh.
I am glad that Ron Paul will NEVER hold the presidency. I would sooner have more respect for Obama, since he doesnt claim to be a conservative. Obama is open about his allegiances and is quite clear on his socialist ideologies. Ron Paul on the other hand is worse. He actually claims to be a conservative!
I recall him saying at one point that he wanted to get rid of all of the alphabet agencies..CIA, FBI, etc. Wish I still had that link.
I don’t agree, if the USA is going to be World Power then show it and bring back a Victory or you had better be stocking up on the ammo because the Rag Heads will be coming down your street.
Yes, we need more government alphabet agencies...When were run out of letters, we'll start assigning them numbers with letters.
Another Marine give his life for our country. God Bless him and God Bless the USA.
My son is a Marine and we’re dreading a deployment. After 8 years, corruption is rampant in Afghanistan, the people don’t trust their government (the one we’re propping up), the Pakistanis, who we give millions or is it billions to each year, are clandestinely supporting the Taliban, and heroin remains their #1 crop. They produce 90% of the world’s supply. Do we really think we are accomplishing anything? Training camps—they’re all over the place. Access to nukes in Pakistan, hell, they’ll have access in a few months when Iran has them. No, I do not believe in this war any longer. I suppose the Taliban and Al Qaeda could say, look we drove the U.S. out just like we did the Russians. And to that I say, you can keep your backward country all to yourself. I’m all for eyes in the sky, spies on the ground and strike the Taliban summarily and without mercy. Have you noticed Israel doesn’t have a suicide bomber problem so much—that’s cause they went after the leadership—summarily and without mercy.
I dont think we need the ATF. :)
I hear special forces is stretched pretty thin, and I’m sure most other military groups in Afghan are as well, and its clear they cant do all the work they need to do with Obama dragging his heels and jetsetting all over the world with Mammy and the little ones. I am concerned about any contingency plans for safeguarding any Pakistani nukes getting vetoed by Obama’s henchmen. Then the Taliban point said nukes at any number of spots in Afghanistan. There was a story here a few years back where a fighter jet had Omar (one-eye) in his sights and called to get clearance to fire, only to be held up by some JAG officers objecting (ROE seems to have gotten a lot worse).
RIP.
Surrender monkeys like Ron Paul and parasites electing anti-American Marxist Muslim CinC (domestic enemies) are what emboldens our enemy are more dangerous to the troops than the militants.
RP makes reference to WW2 and cites the time span etc trying to draw analogy. He forgot to mention the ROE and the no holds barred take no prisoners approach to winning WW2.
He should study up on General Patton. IF the news media, politicians, cowards and surrender monkeys would get out of the way this war would’ve been over several years ago.
Ron Paul should instead draw analogy to the Vietnam war and see it was idiots like him who lost that war just like they’re losing this one.
My son is A Marine and he is in Afghanistan as I type this post. He didn’t volunteer to go over there with his hands tied behind his back, or to win any hearts and minds...
True but Israel also built a heavily guarded fence with extensive checkpoints to let in those who want to work and keep out those who want to bomb. Which is why the terrorists must now use home made rockets.
RP= Ron Paul
ROE= rules of engagement
Thanks And likewise
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