Eight Americans Killed In Afghanistan-Obama's Delema

With the killing of eight more U.S. troops in Afghanistan, President Obama now has hard choices to make about the direction of the war effort.

General Stanley McChrystal has requested 40,000 additional troops to conduct the war,something the President must consider long and hard before sending.

First he must consider the source of the request. General McChrystal, although chosen by Obama to lead the war effort in Afghanistan, is firmly in the pocket of the Republican party. They have been speculating for months that additional troops would be requested, although the 20,000 additional troops Obama authorized have yet to be deployed. General McChrystal also headed up the Pat Tillman cover-up for the Bush administration. Bestowing a Silver Star on a soldier shot to death by friendly fire and fabricating a heroic lie to placate the family and ensure re-election for Bush/Cheney.

Second, he should ask the General what he will accomplish with 40,000 additional troops? Are these troops required to maintain the status quo or will they drive every single Taliban fighter out of Afghanistan? If it is to maintain the status quo surely additional troops will be needed, even if the General gets the 40,000 he asked for. No one wants an indefininate stalemate.

Third, who are we fighting and what are we fighting for? Are we fighting the Taliban, Al-Qeda or both? Although the Taliban sheltered Bin-laden, they had no idea he would attack America. They also had no means to capture him and bring him to justice, even if they wanted to. President Obama will soon learn that an idea is hard to defeat. The Taliban get no wages, health benefits, or education for fighting. They believe in an ideology which encompasses their religion. Our paid soldiers are fighting for revenge only. How much revenge is enough.

Fourth, where the hell is the international community? The rest of the allies are going home or scaling back. Why not ask Great Britian, France, and the other NATO powers for the additional troops? Why are the Afghans not stepping up to defend their own country?

Fifth, how will we know when we have won? Bin Laden will probably never be captured. It has been nine years. Billions of dollars have been spent yet he continues to produce videos mocking us. Mullah Omar is still fighting. What has been accomplished?

Lastly, who is running Afghanistan? Hamid Karzai is a U.S. puppet who will probably be assassinated by his bodyguards at some point. He is not safe outside Kabul and he utilized the Zimbabwe and Iran election models to secure power. You know the model. Stage an election, stuff the ballots, throw away votes for the opposition, declare victory. If the opposition complains, shoot them, beat them, then offer them a Prime Minister or Vice President position.

Obama should call General McChrystal on the carpet. He should tell him that if he gets the additional troops and does not effectively wipe the Taliban off the face of the earth he will not only be fired but executed.

Still want the troops?