McChrystal Faces "Iraq 2006 Moment" in Coming Months

[unhappycamper]

McChrystal Faces "Iraq 2006 Moment" in Coming Months
Sunday 13 June 2010
by: Gareth Porter | Inter Press Service | News Analysis

Washington - Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal confronts the spectre of a collapse of U.S. political support for the war in Afghanistan in coming months comparable to the one that occurred in the Iraq War in late 2006.

On Thursday, McChrystal's message that his strategy will weaken the Taliban in its heartland took its worst beating thus far, when he admitted that the planned offensive in Kandahar City and surrounding districts is being delayed until September at the earliest, because it does not have the support of the Kandahar population and leadership.

Equally damaging to the credibility of McChrystal's strategy was the Washington Post report published Thursday documenting in depth the failure of February's offensive in Marja.

The basic theme underlined in both stories - that the Afghan population in the Taliban heartland is not cooperating with U.S. and NATO forces - is likely to be repeated over and over again in media coverage in the coming months.

The Kandahar operation, which McChrystal's staff has touted as the pivotal campaign of the war, had previously been announced as beginning in June. But it is now clear that McChrystal has understood for weeks that the most basic premise of the operation turned out to be false.

[sarge43]

1. Afghan population opposed to an invading army!?

Wow, who'da thought. Stop the presses.

Army general bull shitting the public!?

The hell you say.

:eyes:

[Scuba]

2. A "Commie-Pinko" Look at the Wars

I believe that if we had and would keep our dirty, bloody, dollar soaked fingers out of the business of these (Third World) nations so full of depressed, exploited people, they will arrive at a solution of their own. And if unfortunately their revolution must be of the violent type because the `haves' refuse to share with the `have-nots' by any peaceful method, at least what they get will be their own, and not the American style, which they don’t want and above all don’t want crammed down their throats by Americans.'




Gen. David Shoup, United States Marine Commandant, Medal of Honor recipient.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. What are we exactly doing in Iraq?

There has been ample time to hand over control to the Iraqis. We don't need to be there at all.