West Point Is Divided on a War Doctrine’s Fate

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by the_tyrant

The mercenaries always profit. If there is no short term profit, they won't come here, they would just go to the next place. And of course, we can assume the same for gun runners.

From an American perspective, the payoff 10 years ago was much lower than it is now. 10 years ago Afghanistan was a wasteland, the GDP was only slightly more than 2 billion USD.

You can say that now the GDP is more than 17 billion USD. But in comparison, US military spending in Afghanistan each year is more than 8 billion USD. and that is not counting aid money etc, just direct military spending. You just don't bet on long term profit potential in a for profit war, you look to break even early.

I really don't see how you can expect to break even when the numbers are like that.

I am not sure on the GDP raise, but however:
Why do you rate the GDP of a hostile nation a profit for the US? Because more or less openly hoswtile Afghansitan will be once the troops are out and the taliban have taken over. That are the Taliban that after 10 years still could not be defeated.

And Karzai, is a corrupt and self-loving criminal himself.