Posted on 02/07/2012 4:37:51 AM PST by 1010RD
A US army officer has accused the American military of painting a misleading picture of progress in the war in Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis turned whistleblower and broke ranks with the official portrayal of the Afghan war after he 'witnessed the absence of success on virtually every level.'
'How many more men must die in support of a mission that is not succeeding?' Colonel Davis asked in an article titled 'Truth, Lies and Afghanistan: How Military Leaders Have Let Us Down.'
'No one expects our leaders to always have a successful plan,' he said in the article. 'But we do expect — and the men who do the living, fighting and dying deserve — to have our leaders tell us the truth about what’s going on. [SNIP]
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Attempting to “reform” this tribal wasteland of primitive barbarians is a fool's errand.
Let me give it a try:Um, we're fightin em over there so we don't haf to fight em over... never mind were the bad guys over here too, ask any TSA agent.
Certainly not a concise one.
We’ll never grasp that nettle, not until we lose entire cities to muslim WMD attacks, and maybe not even then. Not under the current pro-muslim regime, at least.
But that’s not to say that Israel, Russia, India etc would not retaliate massively against islam’s center of gravity: Mecca and Medina.
“We’re going to find out, sooner or later, if Abdul will pray, to a glowing crater.”
Afghanistan is where empires go to die. We need to get out now!
We are attacking a whole country because of one guy who may or may not be lurking in their endless hills?
How much have we spent? Would the digits overrun the breadth of a wanted poster?
Islam is absolute evil.
If we weren’t determined to carpet bomb the whole country we should have stayed home.
Our problem is we refuse to call anything evil, it would spoil our fun.
yeah we should have sent a little secret mission unless we were trying to surround Iran which we might have been
EXACTLY as Gingrich stated about "Balestine" or "Fellasteen," a "country" whose own putative citizens cannot even pronounce their own name.
Obviously, we have to be engaged at some level with these countries, but their politico-religion has so beaten them down that most of the people of the region are not able to begin to think of concepts like "freedom" or "liberty."
Maybe in 100 years it will be different, and thinking will be permitted in the muslim world, but what probably needs to happen is that the Arabs finally realize that Islam is a cruel and unmerciful master that must be thrown off.
I can only assume that LTC Davis is a member of a USAR or NG Unit and no longer on active duty.
I pray we do not have to lose hundreds of thousands, or millions to these enemies. If it happened, just like on 911, they would dance in the streets and make a party of it.
I hope we can elect leaders dedicated to America, our Constitution, our fundamental values, and who are willing to stand unflinching in their support, at home and abroad.
I fear that we may have to suffer much more before we turn it around...yet have hope that, like 2010, 2012 will be a bell weather election that will lead to the hope we have for our nation and our ability and willingness to stand up to and fight enemies foreign and domestic.
Enemies Foreign and Domestic
http://www.enemiesforeignanddomestic.com
If you have to fight the govt of another country in order to occupy it in order to effect a partial surrounding of a vast country like Iran...
Well.
As part of his pandering to the left in his re-elction bid, Obama will quickly pull US forces out of Afghanistan before November so he can say ...see I ended US involvement in these George Bush started wars. However, Afghanistan will quickly revert to Taliban control and be a haven for al Quiada. Sadly all of the many small improvements like building schools and hospitals, often done with the charity of US forces in Afghanistan, will be ended or destroyed as the Taliban drags the country back to 6th century barbarism. I pity especially the young girls and women who for the first time had a chance for an education and to get out of Islamic shackles. They will be persecuted and even publicly executed by the Taliban.
The ANA Corps responded quickly to put down a major riot in Kabul.
Our ANA responded to call for quick reaction force from coalition forces but the ANA ran down the mountain to save my Marine Officer who was on verge of being overran. His immediate call for fire support was denied by US forces up the hill.
Here are some ANA accomplishments in just a six month period. What I saw from the first day to the last day was a completely different ANA force. What we were doing was working!
1.Title 10, 22, and TPE Inventory, hand receipts, and Property Book signature.
2.1st Ever deployment of 201st Corps to quell the 29 may Kabul Riots.
3.1st Ever 201st CORPS Modern Tactical Operations Center (TOC) Construction / Operation.
4. MRPI/ETT taught the National Military Command Center (NMCC) TOC classes Corps/Brigades and ANA conducted briefs to VIPs from TOC. The ANA in a short period transformed their command and control abilities.
5. ANA conducted 1st Ever Brigade Relief-in-place to fourteen Forward Operating Bases in the east.
6.JBAD security conference with 6 Governors, 201st Corps, and TF Spartan where the Afghan Governors agreed not to use its own tribal forces.
7.For the first time Joint Coordination agreement between ANA and ANP with LNOs at each TOC
8. 201st Corps Conducted an IPC for RIP (ANA/RCAG)
9. 201st RIP Staff Planning Conference / Decision Brief / OPORDER. They had learned the process.
10. 1st Ever Execution of a Brigade Size Afghan RIP (3rd BDE with 1st BDE)
12. ANA Developed separated Garrison Property Books for RIP
13. ANA Minister of Defense (MOD) Communication Conference hosted by 201st Corps/RCAG
14.1st ANA autonomous Tegab Valley Combat Operations with NATO forces in support.
15. ANA successfully participated in Mountain Thrust Combat Operations.
16. ANA held 1st Ever Commander / Sgt Major Leadership conference and started using their SNCOs and not as Chai boys.
17. MPRI/RCAG Metals were instituted and followed
18. Identification of ANA Garrison Property for Combat Operations
19. ANA Codes/Password Structure/Brief to 201st Corps
20.1st Mortar Transport Vehicle ANA Plan
21.ANA conducted daily combat missions in support of Task Force Spartan, ODA, and oint Patrols with French
22. ANA developed LOI/Staff Planning for a CALFEX DEMO and then successfully executed the first ever 201st Corps CALFEX (tanks, arty, mortars, attack air, infantry, medEvac, and mechanized attack on a wide front) Solidifying unity of effort of the RCAG/BDE/Kandak. A CAX is difficult for US Forces.
22. ANA conducted Leaders Reconnaissance to far eastern and future operations sites with CG 201st Corps, CG TF PHX, Spartan 6, & RCAG
23. ANA Leaders Recon to Logar (RCAG/ANA/PRT/ANP/Governor)
24. ANA Leaders Recon to Wardak (RCAG/ANA/PRT/ANP/Governor)
25. ANA accounted, inventory and signed Property Book Signatures for the first time.
26. ANA deployed and conducted combat operations in twenty-six Forward Operating Bases or Combat Outpost and a remained in austere and hostile locations in the dead of winter in support of coalition forces.
27. A Communication package (Phone/Data) installed for the first time providing contact and coordination between Corps and Brigades (TOC)
28. 201st ANA Corps conducted Kabul Security Mission on 19 Aug Afghan Independence Day.
29. Established first ANA Corps MT School for Cranes, Bulldozers, and lowboys.
30. ANA Established a Food Service Officer Program, opened new messhalls and began running them for the first time like in the US.
31. 201st ANA Corps took on MOD oversight, training, and logistics for an additional 1200 MOD personnel. The 201st ANA Corps ANA force totaled approximately 4000 soldiers to control 12 provinces.
32. 201st Corps ANA Commando Kandak were combat efficient and very effective.
33. Established Security Force Platoon for ANA Corps Commander and Platoon conducted numerous demonstrations for VIP Demostrations.
34.ANA participated in Operation Eagle
35. ANA participated in Operation Hal Hanson
36. Developed ANA Corps Training Package
37. Developed ANA METLs down to Brigade and Kandak level
38. Developed NMCC report process down to Brigade and Kandak level
39. Developed ANA MT Maintenance School
40. Developed non linear defensive plan (Defensive Fortification)
41. ANA and I traveled to each Provincial Governor to asked for their help in Recruitment and were successful.
42. ANA Commando Kandak to sent to Kandahar for pivotal combat success.
43. ANA developed Commando Train the Trainer Program
44. Conducted Literacy Classes for ANA soldiers
45. ANA Communication Basic Level Classes
46. ANA Intel Classes with ANA and ANP
47. Garrison Defensive Perimeter Plan and Exercise at Pol-e-Charki &D-Man
48. 1st Arrest and Pre-trail Confinement of a Afghan General who was tried by an Afghan military court martial.
49. ANA Conducted TAGAB Independent Combat Operations
50. ANA Conducted WARDAK Independent Combat Operations
I read The March Up by Ray L. Smith and Bing West as soon as it was released, so yes, I am familiar with Bing West.
And while you are correct that I am not endorsing it, it could have “worked” if we were willing to crush the culture(s) in place and replace them, which we were not, and which was the point.
Don't even bother to nation-build. Go in, destroy al-Q infrastructure, then LEAVE. Let them know that it will be worse if we have to come back.
As regards the Afghan poppy fields that finance jihad, don't try to be nice, don't try to encourage farmers to plant other crops. If a poppy field is spotted, then just before harvest time a UAV passes over the field spraying persistent herbicides. Then drop leaflets saying "If you don't want your crops destroyed, don't plant poppies. Next time we have to make a pass, we'll bomb the village too."
Put Pakistan on notice that they are next on the list.
Except that they are not like us. Set up a democracy, and you get Iran. Most muslims hate us, and it is a main plank of islam that the whole world will be taken over.
That is their goal, and they are open about it. We keep playing with them like they are secular Europeans. We keep bringing more into the country, because the world view is such we can't say “Hey, we don't want to many here”.
Until the worldview changes, we are not able to even fight, much less win.
I understand your point and agree w/the observation that the “limited” wars we have been conducting since the Korean “Police Action” are fated to fail by design. (My father was involved in some of the heaviest fighting around Chosin Reservoir). Unless the American people and our politicians have the will to win we will always fail in the long run.
That said, I don't see any practical way that Afghanistan could be conquered; no matter what ROE’s or strategies were employed
Afghanistan only exists as a country on paper and in the minds of some diplomats who once sought an expedient “solution.” Afghans don't exist as a “people;” they are merely an aggregation of various warlike tribes occupying lands within artificial boundaries. These inhabitants are too tribal, the terrain is too rugged and an infrastructure and common “culture” are nonexistent. (other than at the very lowest common denominator: the tribal level).
Conquering what is now called Afghanistan has been a “goat rope” and “ground up” armies ever since the time of Alexander the Great. I doubt that will change any time in the near future.
Regards,
-Geoff
The Afghan war, as costly as it is, has probably been cheap at twice the price in terms of thwarting Chinese inroads into Central Asia. It has blocked direct Chinese support for Iran. It has been a springboard for destabilizing and turning China's long-time main client state in the neighborhood: Pakistan. Everywhere China turns, its would-be paid-for client state relationships are being rolled up and sent packing: Iraq (bigtime), Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Egypt, and now Iran. We are even making moves on Myanmar. The Ruskies are deep in our pocket and China is hurting thanks to the high oil prices we maintain (out of all relation to actual world supply and demand). Likewise iron ore and bauxite.
We are now almost a couple of decades into a long-term economic war with China, and we are now gaining ground. Not losing. China's window of opportunity to get strong before their economy falters is closing on them, sooner than they thought. Look at the recent dive in Chinese steel production. The Beijing elite have to be worried.
More and more Americans are awake to the facts though.
If we have many more elections like 2010, where we place these level headed American in office (and we have the opportunity to double down on it here in 2012), then we will ultimately have a majority of people who see and understand the truth and what must be done.
otherwise, as Travis McGee said above, we will have to lose a million Americans before we get off our haunches.
I pray it does not come to that...but fear it is a very real possibility as I watch what is happening with the current pols and those who have been bought and sold by them.
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