What Afghans think about President Obama’s troop drawdown

[Cancel 2018. 3]

What Afghans think about President Obama’s troop drawdown

Many Afghans have mixed feelings about tonight's announcement from President Obama that the US will begin drawing down the levels of troops in Afghanistan.


By Tom A. Peter, Correspondent / June 22, 2011

Kabul, Afghanistan

President Obama is slated to announce plans to begin a withdrawal of US forces in Afghanistan — the first of its kind since the US and NATO officially entered Afghanistan nearly a decade ago.

Though initial estimates look to be modest, many Afghans are greeting the news of US withdrawal with a mix of joy and concern.

"People are happy when they hear that the foreigners are preparing to leave. All the security problems are because of them. If they leave, who will Al Qaeda and the Taliban say they are fighting against?" says Shah Wali, a money exchanger in Kabul. "Personally, I think they should not leave too fast. They should do it step by step."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsr...s-think-about-president-obamas-troop-drawdown

their concerns and joy make sense. i hope they can come together as a people and nation to create a stable afghanistan. i'm not sure it is possible, the region has a long history of instability.

obama has done well to not make a set time line on withdrawal.

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

The sooner the better IMO. While I'm no fan of Obama, I do like the idea of a troop draw down

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Yea, that's the problem with Afghanistan. We need to get out but we can't leave and leave a power vacuum either. That's a far greater problem then Iraq and it's a big problem in Iraq too.

 

[Cancel 2018. 3]

both are right...i think it will be something similiar to bush's iraq withdrawal plan that obama continued.

 

[Onceler]

both are right...i think it will be something similiar to bush's iraq withdrawal plan that obama continued.

All hail Bush...

 

[Cancel 2018. 3]

All hail Bush...

whatever floats your boat, i don't hail him, but carry on with your love fest for the guy

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

Yea, that's the problem with Afghanistan. We need to get out but we can't leave and leave a power vacuum either. That's a far greater problem then Iraq and it's a big problem in Iraq too.

Why can't we leave a power vacuum ?

 

[Canceled2]

The sooner the better IMO. While I'm no fan of Obama, I do like the idea of a troop draw down

So why does a draw down need to be made so public? Especially since we are talking a mere 10,000 troops? Would it not be better if it were played down instead of being played up?

 

[The Dude]

I think the families of the thousands of American Hero's not killed will be very happy to have them home. Plus we save $10,000,000,000 a month!

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Why can't we leave a power vacuum ?

Well we can but it's probably not a good idea. The law of vacuums is that they will be filled and if we leave a failed state in Afghanistan then we risk that power vacuum being filled by bad guys who fly planes into buildings or start wars or gas their own people, etc, etc. Not a good idea but in the case of Afghanistan it may just be unavoidable. We can't stay there forever or untill were broke because Afghans are unable to build their own country.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

I think the families of the thousands of American Hero's not killed will be very happy to have them home. Plus we save $10,000,000,000 a month!

Love the quote from Platoon.

 

[The Dude]

The Dude abides!

 

[The Dude]

another: enjoy

Elias: First time?
Chris: Yeah.
Elias: Then the worm has definitely turned for you, man. Feel good?
Chris: Yeah, it feels good. I got no pain in my neck now.
Elias: Feelin' good's good enough.

 

[The Dude]

and finally who does bunny remind you of politically?
Junior: Simple, free your mind and the ass will follow.
Bunny: Hey, I can dig it, man. When you smoke that shit everything kind of gets weird, you know what I mean? You heard that story about the gooks putting chemicals in the grass so we don't fight and become pacifists?
Junior: Yeah, but don't you worry Bunny, 'cos you's a killer anyway, man.
Bunny: Yeah, but I still like a piece of pussy once in a while. Ain't nothing like a piece of pussy, except maybe the Indy 500.
Junior: The only way you get some pussy man, is if a bitch dies and wills it to you. And then, maybe!

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

So why does a draw down need to be made so public? Especially since we are talking a mere 10,000 troops? Would it not be better if it were played down instead of being played up?

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-obama-afghanistan-20110623,0,4819891.story

For one.... it is not 'a mere 10k troops'.... stating it as such is disrespectful to the troops. Each and every one of them has a family that is happy they are coming home.
Second, it is 30k+ that are being withdrawn
Third, I agree that announcing these 'time tables' is fucking retarded.
Fourth... I can't help but notice that the military leaders want the troops to stay through 2012 rather than be pulled out in September. I wonder why Obama chose the end of September. Is there anything happening in the fall of 2012 that might explain why he would want them out sooner?

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

Well we can but it's probably not a good idea. The law of vacuums is that they will be filled and if we leave a failed state in Afghanistan then we risk that power vacuum being filled by bad guys who fly planes into buildings or start wars or gas their own people, etc, etc. Not a good idea but in the case of Afghanistan it may just be unavoidable. We can't stay there forever or untill were broke because Afghans are unable to build their own country.

The only thing you mention that I actually care about is the planes into buildings one, and only then if they're our buildings.