View Full Version : They are coming home!
Finally, the last British combat troops and US Marines are coming home from Afghanistan!! Its about stinking time too!:salute:
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/britain-ends-combat-role-in-afghanistan-last-us-marines-hand-over-base/ar-BBbgkxr
If I were them I wouldn't get too comfy, they'll either be back in Afghanistan or Iraq before 2020...
We got to be happy they are they are getting out of there, they deserve to be home, away from that hole for a while!
fireftr18
10-26-14, 03:35 PM
:Kaleun_Party::Kaleun_Cheers::Kaleun_Salute:
Armistead
10-26-14, 04:02 PM
If I were them I wouldn't get too comfy, they'll either be back in Afghanistan or Iraq before 2020...
Yea, I thought we worked it where US troops would be staying. Either way, someone will be going back...
Skybird
10-26-14, 04:06 PM
Damned if you go in, damned if you stay out. Damned if you stay, damned if you leave.
Run, rabbit run.
Dig that hole, forget the sun,
And when at last the work is done
Don't sit down it's time to dig another one.
Tango589
10-26-14, 04:06 PM
I'm glad our lads are coming home, but I've got an unpleasant feeling the place is going to erupt again when the Taliban fancy having another go.
Dread Knot
10-26-14, 04:09 PM
Goodbye Kabul. Hope the embassy has a decent rooftop helicopter pad. :D
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/95/Saigon-hubert-van-es.jpg/300px-Saigon-hubert-van-es.jpg
We got to be happy they are they are getting out of there, they deserve to be home, away from that hole for a while!
I am glad they're coming back, but this is our...what, third or fourth venture in the graveyard of empires, and with the current situation in Iraq, I'm not confident in our likelihood of avoiding another ground war in the Middle East.
Schroeder
10-26-14, 05:02 PM
The problem I have with leaving that place is that it makes the sacrifices of all the soldiers there in vain. It will have been for nothing and that's what bugs me. It's like Iraq. The politicians will just call it "job done" and then everything our troops suffered for will go to hell in no time.
Not sure though whether staying longer would actually help to build up a proper nation.:hmmm:
em2nought
10-26-14, 05:12 PM
If I were them I wouldn't get too comfy, they'll either be back in Afghanistan or Iraq before 2020...
Better yet Liberia! Somebody has to bring Ebola here to make everybody equal. :nope:
BrucePartington
10-26-14, 05:30 PM
The problem I have with leaving that place is that it makes the sacrifices of all the soldiers there in vain. It will have been for nothing and that's what bugs me. It's like Iraq. The politicians will just call it "job done" and then everything our troops suffered for will go to hell in no time.
Not sure though whether staying longer would actually help to build up a proper nation.:hmmm:
I believe General George S. Patton said something along the lines of "Politicians always stop us short, leaving us with another war to fight."
Not that I condone war, mind you.
The problem I have with leaving that place is that it makes the sacrifices of all the soldiers there in vain. It will have been for nothing and that's what bugs me. It's like Iraq. The politicians will just call it "job done" and then everything our troops suffered for will go to hell in no time.
Not sure though whether staying longer would actually help to build up a proper nation.:hmmm:
Catch-22. Their departure is not going to do anything for local stability, but domestic, foreign and local opinion is strongly against the continuation of ground operations by western forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Damned if they do, Damned if they don't.
ikalugin
10-27-14, 12:56 AM
I hope that you would leave a stable regime behind -ehem Iraq-.
That said Russia does have an MRD in Tajikistan to keep it stable just in case.
Yea, I thought we worked it where US troops would be staying. Either way, someone will be going back...
You're correct, nearly 10,000 US troops will still be there for another year yet, along with some Special Forces, who will work with the Afghan Army. If the new President of Afghanistan doesn't gut the Afghan Army like that piece of crap Maliki did with the Iraqi Army, maybe they will have a better chance of protecting themselves. One could only hope I guess.
BossMark
10-27-14, 01:28 AM
Finally, the last British combat troops and US Marines are coming home from Afghanistan!! Its about stinking time too!:salute:
Well its about bloody time :yep:
DIdnt Obama say he wanted a ground war in the next couple of months?? I mean we cant win this crap for those people buy using air control alone. I know we have the most the sufisticated aircraft...(Dont tell me a mig is better) but damn.... what do we really have to do???
Drop a MOAB on their ass and call it a day...
I feel we should just go in Air, land, and sea and push these ISIS bastards back to the stone age... only logical way i can think off. Forget the political mumbo jumbo bull****. I dont want to hear it.
vanjast
10-27-14, 06:56 AM
Well, If you feel that Gungho about it...
Why don't you join up and go for a trot around a desert landscape for a couple of months... see the world.. lovely stretches of blistering hot sand.. horizon to horizon.. just no sea though.
:har:
Jimbuna
10-27-14, 07:04 AM
Great to see the majority (a few hundred are staying behind to train the Afghans) coming home but my thoughts remain with the 453 who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
~SALUTE~
You're quite right Jim, all those troops from the Allies that fought in Afghanistan and who lost their lives, are true hero's!:salute:
Platapus
10-27-14, 05:46 PM
The problem I have with leaving that place is that it makes the sacrifices of all the soldiers there in vain. It will have been for nothing and that's what bugs me.
But would sacrificing more military make their sacrifices any less in vain?
We never had a clear measurable and obtainable objective in the AF conflict.
I hope the world learned what the British, the Soviets, and now the Americans have learned the hard way - stay out of AF.
I never said they were not true heroes. I totally agree. But, damn!... they ask us to fight for their crap and then.....what happens???
If we dont do it who else will??....
vanjast
10-28-14, 06:07 AM
I don't think anybody asked anyone to fight for them... it was more like the USA are now going to invade AF, as an extension of Iraq, and are our 'pals' the Brits, going to help us - which translates to, are you going to share the trouble we're going to make.
So one 'evil' force went after another.. currently the result is a draw, and with the pullout, you lose... :hmmm: again!!
So WHEN are the US and Brits going to have that light-bulb moment that your 'leaders' are dragging you through the desert sand, literally, and you all think it's for a good cause and patriotism. I'm afraid you have been hoodwinked again for a simple reason.
The Middle East (and most of the world) is a completely different culture to the West, they think and operate differently and this is not going to change... whether these guys live next to you, or across a continent or two. To think you're going to change their way.. to your way... nah nah!! no amount of bombing/killing, short of extermination, is going to change that.
So what are the real reasons for the invasion.. a question not really answered yet !
:arrgh!::arrgh!::arrgh!:
Catfish
10-28-14, 06:33 AM
^ That is the problem ;)
Sometimes i think i'm an alien.
All this happens because the human race consists of egomaniac, bloodthirsty and generally uneducated individuals, never informing themselves properly; instead believing media (truthmakers), politicians (manipulative though incompetent egomaniac alpha animals), and prefer doing to thinking.
Those humans are especially dumb until they reach an age of, say, 40.
Then they either resignate wisely, or go on with the bulls.t, now in turn beginning to lead the younger ones by the nose.
Up to 30 years of age the human animals are very influencable, you can manipulate and drag them like you want, as long as you tell them it's for freedom. Or for those 42 virgins. Or for Mickey Mouse, if this is their god.
If I were them I wouldn't get too comfy, they'll either be back in Afghanistan or Iraq before 2020...
I have a bad feeling your spot there Oberon.
Catfish
10-28-14, 07:01 AM
Imagine there's a war, and no one comes. :hmmm:
ikalugin
10-28-14, 08:00 AM
^ That is the problem ;)
Sometimes i think i'm an alien.
All this happens because the human race consists of egomaniac, bloodthirsty and generally uneducated individuals, never informing themselves properly; instead believing media (truthmakers), politicians (manipulative though incompetent egomaniac alpha animals), and prefer doing to thinking.
Those humans are especially dumb until they reach an age of, say, 40.
Then they either resignate wisely, or go on with the bulls.t, now in turn beginning to lead the younger ones by the nose.
Up to 30 years of age the human animals are very influencable, you can manipulate and drag them like you want, as long as you tell them it's for freedom. Or for those 42 virgins. Or for Mickey Mouse, if this is their god.
Humans stay influencable way beyound the age of 40.
Catfish
10-28-14, 08:35 AM
^ Well it was an essay.
We will of course always stick together against the evil Russians.
After they repeatedly (if unproven) violated swedish waters.
And so on.
Hey, the german anchorman of the ZDF (German 2nd channel TV) is a member of the Transatlantikbruecke, what do you expect from us influencable dumbwits.
jacobston
10-28-14, 09:06 AM
Looks like not everybody's coming back to America...
Bit of a language warning, but worth watching
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QplQL5eAxlY
Platapus
10-28-14, 05:39 PM
I also disagree with those couple of people calling these victims heros.
Losing your life in a pointless endeavour which serves no real purpose but is conducted purely on the whim of some halfwit politician is not heroic, its dumb.
A hero is a person who willingly risks his or her life in a cause they don't necessarily believe in. It falls under the auspice of a little something we call "duty".
And yes, it is difficult to understand.
vanjast
10-29-14, 01:34 AM
A hero is a person who willingly risks his or her life in a cause they don't necessarily believe in. It falls under the auspice of a little something we call "duty".
And yes, it is difficult to understand.
I had the same problem during my time... but found it easy to see through the political BS.
There was PW Botha waving his finger at us, 'Do Your Duty.. RSA Needs You.. Serve Your Country'
My thoughts were.. 'You're out of your cotton picking mind .. Crunchie.
What !! run around the bush.. shooting and been shot at.. for what! - a non-winnable unjust situation.. when I could be at the beach surfing and chatting up hot chicks - this 'finger man's' crazy!!' :har:
But I had a slight problem.. I couldn't escape overseas like a lot did, as we had no contacts and no money to do that.. so I did the next best thing to get out the army - joined the airforce to study, which I did for 4 years.. qualified, then resigned.. honourably discharged straight into civvy life, with no more military commitments (perfect :D).
Now we have similar situation as the US and UK, lying presidents, army sent to far away lands, CAR/Congo, to stop 'rebels'. But here the underlying cause is that our president's son is head of a few mining operations in CAR/Congo.. makes you think doesn't it. And the RSA gov were thinking of bringing in conscription for this little adventure...
This time I can send my children overseas and we have contacts.. and are in the process :03:
You see .. think a little bit, ask the wrong questions, and see through the governmental BS that you've been fed.
One thing I can say.. so far our media looks to be 'free'er' than the UK, USA media with regard to 'invasion reporting'... so I think we more nitty gritty stuff... stuff that hurts the government..which is good, after all 'somebody else' voted for them.
:up: :up: :up:
ikalugin
10-29-14, 06:57 AM
I just wish that the job is done before NATO troops leave Afghanistan, as otherwise Russia would have to go in there and we honestly have better things to do now.
Though it isn't like NATO ever went to reduce local drug production or anything.
Compare:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Kabul_during_civial_war_of_fundamentalists_1993-2.jpg
http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/0701-afghanistan-war-kunduz/8261095-1-eng-US/0701-afghanistan-war-kunduz_full_600.jpg
Betonov
10-29-14, 09:23 AM
Kabul 1970 and present day
http://ingenial.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/kabul1970.jpg
Jimbuna
10-29-14, 09:36 AM
I just wish that the job is done before NATO troops leave Afghanistan, as otherwise Russia would have to go in there and we honestly have better things to do now.
Though it isn't like NATO ever went to reduce local drug production or anything.
I really don't see Russia returning to Afghanistan again.
ikalugin
10-29-14, 09:40 AM
I really don't see Russia returning to Afghanistan again.
We have been expanding and reinforcing our presense in Tajikistan for several years now.
As well as assisting NATO with logistsics.
Jimbuna
10-29-14, 09:44 AM
We have been expanding and reinforcing our presense in Tajikistan for several years now.
As well as assisting NATO with logistsics.
That may well be the case but I simply don't see it happening....unless Putin wants to get one over on Obama but even then I don't see any single country having the ability to quell the Afghanistan people entirely.
ikalugin
10-29-14, 09:50 AM
That may well be the case but I simply don't see it happening....unless Putin wants to get one over on Obama but even then I don't see any single country having the ability to quell the Afghanistan people entirely.
Depends as to what your objectives are, destruction of drug crops is quite possible with biological agents.
vanjast
10-29-14, 10:03 AM
Not a very good idea, as it might backfire with destruction of general agriculture.. then you'll have a real crisis.
..and they'll just move the drug crops anyway.. and then what will you do ?
poison those areas as well !!
Drug crops are only there because of the demand... eliminate the demand, or trade route in your own country... far less expensive and easier.
But is there the will power (political) to do this.... the crux of the matter.
Depends as to what your objectives are, destruction of drug crops is quite possible with biological agents.
It's not that effective, has side-effects and may wind up just making the problem worse.
http://www.ffrd.org/Voices/agent-orange-cropdusting.jpg
ikalugin
10-29-14, 11:34 AM
Drug crops are only there because of the demand... eliminate the demand, or trade route in your own country... far less expensive and easier.
But is there the will power (political) to do this.... the crux of the matter.
The demand for Heroin would always be there, and the main routes are via the Central Asia states, which have issues.
There are only 2 real ways to deal with this sort of drug production - chemical agents (air delivered) and biological ones (also air delivered).
and they'll just move the drug crops anyway.. and then what will you do ?
The brilliance of a biological agent is that it moves with the crops.
However as with any biological agent there are complications, but then there is some progress in that field.
Betonov
10-29-14, 11:40 AM
I say let the Russians take another try at AF. Without the covert arming of rebels.
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