Trump Gives Mattis Authority to Send More Troops to Afghanistan

[SecularMotion]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — President Trump has given Defense Secretary Jim Mattis the authority to determine troop levels in Afghanistan, three administration officials said Tuesday, opening the door for sending more American forces to a war that the Pentagon chief acknowledged the United States was “not winning.”

Mr. Mattis is believed to favor sending several thousand more American troops to strengthen the effort to advise Afghan forces as they push back against gains made by the Taliban, the Islamic State and other militant groups. But officials said he had not yet decided how many more forces to send to Afghanistan, or when to deploy them.

One United States official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was discussing internal deliberations, said that Mr. Trump decided on Tuesday morning to grant Mr. Mattis the authority. It was the latest in a series of moves by the White House to give the Pentagon and its military commanders more latitude to deploy forces and carry out operations.

Mr. Mattis alluded somewhat cryptically to the decision when he testified on Tuesday morning to the Senate Armed Services Committee. During his appearance, the defense secretary promised Congress that the Trump administration would develop a new strategy for Afghanistan by mid-July to turn around the war.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/world/asia/mattis-afghanistan-military.html

[Vinca]

1. Still no mention of last week's fatalities???????

Young soldiers are easily expendable unless their names are Don, Eric, Ivanka or Baron.

Edited to add: Oops! Just like Dear Leader, I forgot Tiffany. Don, Eric, Ivanka, Baron and Tiffany!

[atreides1]

2. This is what Trump does

He "delegates" so he can take credit if things go well, but if things badly...then he'll be able to point the finger at someone else!


Just like he did with his businesses, that failed!!!

[mopinko]

3. the end of civilian control of the military. what could go wrong?

jeeeebus.

[Maxheader]

4. The usual distraction

ploy with casualties figured in. Make a
contest..write down all the excuses trumph
will make when it (investigations) all start to come down
on his head..Mine.."Look we lost a bunch of soldiers
in 'stan' last week. Our concern should be directed
towards Americas safety."

[Adrahil]

5. I just watch "War Machine" ...

So the cycle continues...

[Baconator]

10. That movie was satire of actual events...

Please don't take it as gospel.

[Adrahil]

11. It was satire? Noooooo!

Lol... i kmow it was satire, but the points were very salient....

[Baconator]

12. Some people can't tell and probably think it was word for word...

[Adrahil]

13. okay... those folks need to get out more. :) NT

[ElementaryPenguin]

6. And, of course, our mission in Afghanistan (the LONGEST war in U.S. history) is...

NOBODY FUCKING KNOWS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Grins]

7. Remember when.....?

Remember back, a long, long time ago, when "certain people", oh about 15-years ago, were calling C-Plus Augustus' Excellent Mesopotamian Adventure™ - a quagmire? And those same people then being vilified, called "traitors", called "un-American" while a lying, vengeful and murderous administration's Rage, Noise & Hate Machine went into venomous fierce Reich-wing denial...?

Remember them days, bunkie...?

February 9, 2017, Senate Armed Services Committee:

JOHN MCCAIN: In your overall commander's assessment, are we winning or losing?

GENERAL JOHN NICHOLSON: Mr. Chairman, I believe we're in a STALEMATE.

Nicholson was asking for "a few thousand" more troops to augment the Afghan army thinking he can break a STALEMATE, a.k.a., a quagmire, when we had over 100,000 troops in Afghanistan every year for a decade or more over the last 15-years.

This is not something that should be handed over to the military. It is the job of a president, even if that bastard's name is "Trump".

[Sunlei]

8. I thought Afghanistan didn't want any troops because USA refused to be acountable to Afghan gov?

Republicans starting the middleeast trouble again
costing American lives,
costing Americans federal BILLIONS
and making America a TARGET for revenge attacks.

FUCK YOU REPUBLICANS!

[Bayard]

9. Far Afganistan

James Taylor

Back home Indiana, we just learn to get along
Civilized and socialized they teach you right from wrong
How to hold your liquor and how to hold your tongue
How to hold a woman or a baby or a gun
But nothing will prepare you for the far Afghanistan
You can listen to their stories and pick up what you can
You listen to their stories maybe read a book or two
Until they send you out there, man you haven’t got a clue

Oh the Hindu Kush, the Band-e Amir, the Hazara

They tell you a tradition in the hills of Kandahar
They say young boys are taken to the wilderness out there
Taken to the mountain alone and in the night
If he makes it home alive they teach him how to fight

They fought against the Russians, they fought against the Brits
They fought old Alexander, talking ‘bout him ever since
And after 9/11 here comes your Uncle Sam
Another painful lesson in the far Afghanistan

I was ready to be terrified and ready to be mad
I was ready to be homesick, the worst I’ve ever had
I expected to be hated and insulted to my face
But nothing could prepare me for the beauty of the place

No matter what they tell you all soldiers talk to God
It’s a private conversation written in your blood
The enemy’s no different, badass holy wind
That crazy bastard talks to God and his God talks back to him

[Blue Idaho]

14. Don't worry folks - they are only advisors...

Now where have I heard that before?