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Subscribe to RSSPublished 10:25 a.m. ET -- An Obama administration senior official said Tuesday that during the president's State of the Union address he will announce that 34,000 of the 66,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan will be brought back to the United States within 12 months.
Shamil Zhumatov / Reuters
U.S. Army soldiers react after their comrade was wounded at patrol by an improvised explosive device (IED) in southern Afghanistan June 12, 2012.
By this spring, a senior administration official said, Afghan forces will be “assuming the lead across the entire country, with the United States and ISAF (the International Security Assistance Force) stepped back to a train-advise-and-assist role. In that capacity, we will no longer be leading combat operations, but will provide support to the Afghans” during the 2013 and 2014 fighting seasons.
“By the end of 2014, we will responsibly bring our war in Afghanistan to a close,” the official said.
But the Obama administration is in negotiations on a security accord with the Afghan government that would allow some U.S. forces to operate in the country after 2014 to attack remnants of al-Qaida and to train Afghan forces.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a speech last month “We are still at war in Afghanistan,” but he said the progress the International Security Assistance Force has made in training the Afghan army and Afghan police “has brought us to what I hope will be the last chapter of this war, and the next chapter in NATO's relationship with Afghanistan.”
NBC White House Correspondent Kristen Welker contributed to this story
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Hmmm what happened to a complete troop withdrawl by the summer of '14? Ah well.
Good for the 34,000 coming home. What about the other 32,000? We're going to keep them there, subjected to attack by the very people they're trying to help? To what end? There is no U.S. interest served by keeping any troops there a single day longer.
Dingle B, especially since the President has such an affinity to drones. So yank'em all out and let the Presidents Obamawaffe take out the bad guys since it seems to be his weapon of choice. BTW, could be coming to a theatre near you and I'm not talking the movie kind.
Is he going to bring them home then place them along the border? Oh wait! The borders are secure already from previous statements. So does that mean they will then join the unemployed?
The "summer of 2014" is 18 months away.
Of course there will be a draw-down because of the President's Budget Sequestration Cuts.
Expect a heck of a lot more issues to arise when the cuts come into effect which will affect unemployment figures, education grant cuts, first responder cuts, DOD contractor cuts, et al, with the largest cuts coming to the Department of Defense.
Wait a minute....the President will announce his intention for MORE SPENDING to support his campaign supporters tonight.
I hope he goes through with this plan. Nation building will not work there. They bankrupted the USSR, and they will bankrupt the US if we let them. Yes, we may have to go back in again in 10 or 20 years and force another regime change - but I'd rather do that than keep beating our heads against the wall like we've done most of the last 10 years.
True, if you are not willing to fight for your freedom then you don't deserve it.
The Russians don't play nice nice and they couldn't effect change, where do we get off?
The French didn't play nice nice in Viet Nam, where did we get off?
The Chinese come in under the radar and build 'their' schools, hospitals, roads, and provide technological assitance to these locations. That's why they're eating our lunch.
Well we shall see if the draw down of troops puts those that remain at greater risk. The middle east is a tinderbox, and it will not take much for the entire region to all into utter chaos. Iraq is already unraveling because of the way we left, and the Taliban will resume control in Afghanistan when we pull out there. We have a saber rattling North Korea, and you can bet there are those that hope they strike the US, as really what could be our response that would not put us face to face with China and Russia? If Israel strikes at Iran's nuclear program the world will pay a hefty price. Funny that Obama has chosen to sit on the sidelines in Syria, the one place where the fall of Assad would be in our best interest. There are some serious challenges ahead for the Obama administration in the middle east, and many are the result of their own doing. Or lack of doing. Let us hope there is some real strategy behind the draw down of troops. Because like it or not we are the worlds police right now, and it doesn't take much imagination to wonder what would happen if there were no police around.
They are not leaving the 32,000 over there without more personnel coming in. He can toss out all the numbers he wants to about how many he is pulling out - what he is failing to tell you are the #'s that are still headed over there. My son-n-law will be deploying to Afghanistan again (4th time) this summer for another tour. His announcement means nothing to me ....
bring them all home now or turn them loose and let them do their jobs instead of all the political bs! would be over in 4 months!
really seriously obama you are going to take credit for a return of those troops who are already going to be returning as scheduled prior I know cause my SON IS ALREADY THERE SET TO COME HOME BFORE OBAMA CRIES THAT HE IS BRINGING THEN HOMEsame old cock and bull blame everyone for everything but take credit for all good things
One question I would ask the President... "When are your daughters going to Afghanistan?" Get the troops out before Obama's girls are old enough to go fight.
Big Dawg-3501358
Why didn't BUSH send his daughters to Afghanistan or Iraq? Why did ROMNEY dodge the draft? Why did the head of the NRA dodge the VIETNAM DRAFT
And the poppies that support the Taliban are still growing.. Napalm the fields and cut off their money supply.. How much of a cut do you think the Afghan government and our own get from heroin sales??
One of my friends in the guard is scheduled to go there in July........This place should have been taken care of instead and exited years ago when entered....Instead Bush/Cheney/Rove/Rumsfedlt and staff abandoned troops there, lied about WMDs in Iraq to create a war for profit and glory..........Our Vets are committing suicide at the rate of 22 per day.......Time to get the hell out and spend the money on our vets....YA THINK?......
Hopefully he doesn't just replace them with those Blackwater rejects which would end up costing more.
Hooray! Now let's get the rest out ASAP! Leave that Bass-ackwards country now! They hate us anyway. All they want us for is their monthly welfare check!
Why not 100% troop withdrawl and NOW?
Oh, don't hold your breath for that. Its the poor that fights the wars, the well off just sit back and gain the interest and dividends in it.
To be thrown on Unemployment in accordance with President Obama as Commander In Chief Ordered Reduction In Forces of 90,000 US Military Personnel further straining Veteran's Affairs, Layoffs of 108,000 DOD Civilians: The Reason that Secretary of Defense Gates tendered his Letter of Resignation.
President Obama Ordered a Cut to the US Military by 50% and a 11% US Defense Budget Cut: Secretary of Defense Penetta, 2012, "A 10% Defense Budget Cut will result in a Million (US) Civilians becoming Unemployed". Reason that Secretary of Defense Penetta tendered his Letter of Resignation "to go work on this Walnut Farm to deal with a different kind of "Nut".
President Obama's April 2009 and August 2009 Policies, "US Military will not be used to secure US Borders".
President Obama's Intent to Legalize the over 23 Million Illegal Aliens at the US, Associated Press, August 10, 2009:
You wanted someone to fix the US Border Situation, wrong President GreatlyEntitled. The last President to do something about the Illegal Aliens as a known Threat to National Security was Republican President Eisenhower, with his successful Operation Wetback. Don't worry, the Illegal Aliens of M.E.Ch.A., The Race (La Raza), have only stated the Overthrow of States of the US to form Aztlan.
http://www.mayorno.com/WhoIsMecha.html
That was the same mentality of US Congress after Operation Cyclone, so we abandoned 20th Century US Ally Afghanistan and the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen to be destroyed and massacred by the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban that were fully backed by the USSR Backed Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran.
So here we are once again.
That is NOT what happened, during Operation Cyclone we vetted, trained and lead the 1980s Pro US Afghans into Asymmetric Warfare Combat against the USSR 40th Army. We knew at one point that the USSR Citizens would not accept the numbers of losses of us killing them. The USSR at the beginning only believed in Total Conventional Warfare, we attacked them at their bases as easy targets fixed in place "fish in a barrel" their bases built in the middle of valleys instead on the tops of the mountains, we raided their depots for weapons, shot down their aircraft and helicopters with their own SA-7s (not the US Stingers due to the IFF), anytime they travelled anywhere we ambushed them (limited numbers of roads), attacked their supply convoys (and took their supplies), they tried conventional warfare carpet bombing and we just hid in the thousands of miles of former mines and mining tunnels, tried to use chemical weapons we moved out of those areas, they used millions of area denial weapons (landmines) we dug them up and used those against them, killed themselves by poisoning the interconnected water wells, anytime they chased us we went into the mountains as we were already acclimatized and they were not also most of their weapons could not function above 6,000 feet, during the winters we were using Arctic/Winter Warfare including using avalanches, even if they used tactical nuclear weapons we would just go into the thousands of miles of former mines and mining tunnels, etc.. This is the same kind of things that the US Military Conventional Warfare Forces and US NATO Allies have attempted to do, Conventional Warfare.
At the same time Operation Cyclone was occuring the USSR's Ally the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran was involved in the years long Iran Iraq Wars, with US Military Teams rotated to and from Operation Cyclone, training and leading US Ally Iraqis Combat Units to fight the USSR Backed Iranians. USN was keeping the Strait of Hormuz open during Iranian attempted blockades. The US Ally Iraq finally used Chemical Weapons to end the years long Iran Iraq Wars.
And no we did NOT train Fundamentalist Islamic Osama Bin Laden nor his later Al Quada, they were still at Saudi Arabia with OBL's Rich Relatives. The 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban were also not trained by us, and they did NOT spring up from the Afghan People, during the USSR 40th Army Occupation, the USSR did not care which Afghans they massacred so the Pro USSR Afghans fled to USSR Backed Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran and Islamic Sanctuary. After the defeat of the USSR 40th Army Occupation by the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen and the US Abandoning US Ally 20th Century Afghanistan, the Pro USSR Afghans returned and became the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban and with the full support of the USSR Backed Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran, our previous abandoned Allies the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen did not have a chance, 20,000 to 50,000 massacred, then the rest of the Pro US Afghans as "suspected" Collaborators to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers were massacred, millions.
What caused the USSR to Fall was that President Regan out spent the USSR, everytime the USSR came up with new weapons, the US would create weapons that negated the USSR weapons or numbers advantage. examples: The USSR and Warsaw Pact had 101 Full Strength Divisions on the Border with Western Europe, this was negated by the US deployment of Tactical Enhanced Radiation Weapons to the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Europe. The USSR numbers of Strategic Nuclear Weapons, negated by the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Europe Pershing I and Pershing II (shorter flight time than ICBMs or SSBNs), as well as the proposed "StarWars Initiatives", and the testing of a US ABM System "US Missile Shield".
And just like the last time, after abandoning US Ally 20th Century Afghanistan, to be massacred by the Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban again; YOU WILL HAVE EVEN LESS PRO US AFGHANS TO HELP YOU.
The reason we were beating our heads against the wall, was because President Obama does not listen to his "Experts" and demands their Letters of Resignation. General McKiernan War Plan to Win Afghanistan, required 90,000 US Military, President Obama Refuses. General McChrystal, told by President Obama to implement his Obama War Plan to Win Afghanistan (stolen from General McKiernan, due to no US Military Experience President Obama does not know that without General McKiernan's Commander's Intent the General McKiernan War Plan is useless (so President Obama's War Plan to Win Afghanistan is also useless.), President Obama promises the US Citizens and US Congress, "Anything he (General McChrystal) needs he will get", General McChrystal requests 90,000 US Military President Obama refuses and sent 1/3rd as 30,000, the Obama War Plan to Win Afghanistan failed miserably resulting in the Unnecessary Deaths of US Citizens of the US Military and US Ally Canadian Military Forces, the US Civilians of President Obama's US Civilian Surge on General McChrystal's High Level Staff saw this and state, "This Administration Does Not Know What It Is Doing"; General McChrystal starts telling President Obama about the involvement of the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran's Special Forces, Quds, training, arming and funding many of the Holy Warriors of Islam (Islamic Jihadists) coming into Afghanistan, President Obama tells General McChrystal to shut up as anything against Iran is against one of President Obama's Foreign Policies. President Obama demands his US Civilian Law Enforcement Rules of the Use of Deadly Force to be used for the US Military, as "cannot shoot until shot". The hundreds of Lawyers sent during President Obama's US Civilian Surge are kept busy prosecuting (not defending) US Military for Violating President Obama's Rules of Engagement for the US Military, they tried to prosecute the Deutsche Bundeswehr Commandos (German Army Special Forces) until German Chancellor Merkel threaten President Obama with withdrawal of all German Military Forces, after seeing this the rest of the US NATO Allies start considering withdrawal of their Military Forces.
That is not the main reason. The Main Reason is that President Obama's Failed Foreign Policies lost: the Islamic Shia Nation of Iraq; the US Military Logistics Support Bases at Pakistan required to support the United Nations Mission at Landlocked Afghanistan so the Unsupported United Nations, US, NATO Military Forces must abandon US Ally Afghanistan again; US Ally Egypt; US Ally Libya; the Strategic Resources Worldwide required for the current US and US Allies Standard of Living and future Alternative Energy; US and US Allies loss of Strategic Locations Worldwide; US And US Allies loss of Key and Strategic US and US Allies Allies Worldwide.
President Bush (43) is not the President now of President Obama's "Iraq was the wrong War, Afghanistan is the Right War".
Presidential Candidate is not the US President.
And why don't you go research Vice President Biden's Biography.
The Chinese and Russian Mob (that controls the Russian Government) would not like that. Since they get most of the heroin.
And Napalm was ruled Illegal according to the Geneva Convention, as a form of Chemical Weapon.
There you go spamming nonsense again, starsailing to Uranus.
President Clinton's 1998 State of the Union Address, US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein, Weapons of Mass Destruction, US support of the Holy Warriors of Islam at Bosnia, etc..
Transcript: President Clinton's 1998 State of the Union Address:
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/01/27/sotu/transcripts/clinton/
President Clinton's US Law, H.R.4655, "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" became 2003 Operation Iraqis Freedom, Section 3 US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein, Section 2 Findings (Justifications) Weapons of Mass Destruction.
President Clinton's US Law, H.R. 4655:
http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1057063/posts
President Clinton's Failed 1998 Operation Desert Fox, resulting in the US Condemned by the Islamic World as the Great Satan, in retaliation Osama Bin Laden plans his attack against the Great Satan of the same targets of his 1993 First World Trade Center Bombings (as the 9/11 2001 Attacks) after President Clinton refused offered extradiction of OBL of a US Ally, President Clinton refused to provide requested evidence of OBL's involvement with the 1993 First World Trade Center Bombings, so the US Ally without sufficient evidence released OBL. President Clinton (42) refused Presidential Authorization to Terminate OBL, using the excuse of the US No Assassination Policy; in 2006 President Bush (43) Amended the US No Assassination Policy (Harvard International Review, 2006, Article, "US No Assassination Policy On The Offensive". After the 9/11 2001 Attacks President Bush (43) by Standing Executive Order delegated the Mission of the Locating and Capture of OBL to the Director of the CIA, Commander US Military Special Operations Command, Commander US Military Joint Special Forces Command, as the Capture of OBL was absolutely necessary to gain his Thought Processes and Planning Processes he imprinted on this Al Quada Leadership for the US to preemptively interdict all Al Quada Activities Worldwide, the Termination of OBL (also President Bush (43) Standing Executive Order Termination Authorization) was considered a Mission Failure, last resort. The CIA's "Little Ms. 100%" spent 16 years trying to get OBL. President Obama just happened to be in Office when the CIA, SOC, JSOC, did their job previously Authorized by President Bush's Standing Executive Orders.
Don't let the Facts get in the way of your nonsense uneducated posts, starsailing.
Common Definitions from Dictionary.com:
Just like the Fact that it was President Obama's Reelection, "Osama Bin Laden is Dead, GM is Alive";
with the Islamic World in response to President Obama stating, "Obama, Obama, We Are All Osama", "Obama Declared War Against Islam".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pJGX1JzyFc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udSEcQbM308
So the "Libyan Rebels"* supported by President Obama that went to Murder US Ally President Gaddaffi the Collaborator to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers as "Collaborators Die a Horrible Murdering to Dwell in that Firey Place", that became Ansar Al Shariah planned then attacked the US Consulate Benghazi on the date (9/11) of their Holy Warrior of Islam Superstar Osama Bin Laden Greatest Defeat of the Great Satan (US), the 9/11 2001 Attacks.
*The "Libyan Rebels" supported by President Obama, Al Quada Saudi Arabia (AQ), Al Quada Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Quada Syria (AQS), Al Quada Yemen (AQY), Hezbollah, Al Quada Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), etc. as warned by US Ally President Gaddaffi thru communications established by SOS Condeleezza Rice; NATO Military Commanders warnings, International Intelligence Agencies, etc.. Once of the other goals was to seize the Libyan Military Depots (Weapons, Ammunition, Military Equipment) at Benghazi, to attack the rest of the Continent of Africa:
(SOS) Clinton takes responsibility in Benghazi attack
Anyone watching all the President Obama f**k ups then being blamed like SOS Clinton would Tender a Letter of Resignation also.
Who reguritated that into your mouth. Many people say that I am "Rich", "Well Off"; after all the Recalls to Active Duty ruined my US Civilian Careers, I started my own Businesses, so that when I finally get home, I don't have to rely on someone else to give me a job.
What Country are you talking about:
US Ally Afghanistan was a 20th Century Country until the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban destroyed everything that was "Western", "Modern", "Non Islamic"; just like Al Sheebah destroyed everything at Somalia after United Nations Missions Somalia I and II built up Somalia to end the cycles of droughts and famines.
President Obama's "Level the Playing Field" as easier to bring everyone else down to the lowest common denominator, than to raise everyone up to the US Standard of Living. Welcome to President Obama's United Somalia of America.
Are you talking about the US:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAOwJvTOio
By the way those Billions USDs are NOT spent on the Afghans nor the US Military; but, the hundreds of thousands of overpaid too expensive US Civilians paychecks of President Obama's US Civilian Surge(s). I keep telling you that it was President Karzai that demanded that General McChrystal investigate President Obama's Political Appointees Holbrooke and Eikenberry; as President Karzai was promised the restoring of basic electricity and water by the US Politicians so he included this in his Presidential Election promises, and nothing happened, so he started losing the Afghan Citizens support. So when General McChrystal arrived President Karzai requested the investigation. Afterwards, General Petraeus completed the investigations, President Obama's Political Appointee Holbrooke strained his heart and died at the US Embassy Pakistan, President Obama's Political Appointee Eikenberry tendered his Letter of Resignation, as they could not account for any of the Billions USDs spent with nothing being built nor done.
fuzzy44 - They hate us anyway
Those Afghans that survived the massacres of the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban do not hate us, they have a fear of abandonment issues from when the US abandoned them before to get massacred.
The Afghans that do hate us, hate us because we are seen as Hypocrites. Screaming "Karzai Corrupt" when President Obama's Political Appointees Holbrooke and Eikenberry were spending Billions, and screaming "Karzai Corrupt" to deflect blame from themselves. And President Obama Declaring War Against Islam with his "Osama Bin Laden is Dead, GM is Alive", see post#1.24 results.
Keep it short people ya long winded demorats!
IDO: That's a stinking lie and you know it. CONGRESS did that. Stop blaming everything on Obama and stop watching FOX News. Might help you be a bit smarter.
David 475776: Thank you for an insightful couple of posts with very good and real information, though I think your wasting your time, the people screaming the lies the opposition claim are true do not really care about facts, or at least true facts, they make up their stories as they go along and the information to support them, because they know their followers will not investigate them and will just accept it all as fact because our leaders said they were true.
I have tried the factual arguments myself and it falls on deaf ears, it is as productive as Don Quixote.
Dingle B: I would like to ask, How many tours have you had in Afghanistan? I am hoping to see where your knowledge and experience are coming from. If you have none please reserve your statements to opinions fed by your immense knowledge of nothing but sitting on your couch at home drinking in the lies of beauracrats and foolish news agancies who would not know the truth if it bit them on their huge backsides, because they care more about their own agendas then giving the people facts.
LOL. President Obama demanded "Across the Board Budget Cuts" (Automatic Sequestration) of all previously Budgeted Programs (like Medicare, Social Security, "Old people" Programs that the old people paid into, etc.), Projects (like the US Army Corps of Engineer Infrastructure Projects within the US, etc.), Agencies (like FEMA, Department of Education, Veteran's Affairs, etc.), including chopping the Benefits and Entitlements of the "47%" (actual 2012 49%, updated 2013 51%) to pay for President Obama's previously not budgeted for demanded spending of $2.1 Trillion.
How about this you find out what the $2.1 Trillion was spent on.
Then research what a President's Proposal to US Congress is, and how it is used as a Demand to US Congress, post the short title and the date of President Obama's President's Proposal to US Congress demanding "Automatic Squestration"; then maybe we will all have and adult discussion without your uneducated adolescent name calling.
The cost of that information was lives. Too many of us did not survive.
One day some will figure out that my posts are so that they do not make the same mistakes and might survive, while many did not. And not bragging, nor embelished "War Stories", just a survivor.
DingleB
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!
Come on, you guys know we have to keep a few of our boys there to keep an eye on all those poppy fields we have "ignored" for the past decade.
We don't want that nasty "war on drugs" to really end do we?
It's amazing, isn't it?
Opium production in Afghanistan has been on the rise since U.S. occupation started in 2001. Based on UNODC data, there has been more opium poppy cultivation in each of the past four growing seasons (2004–2007) than in any one year during Taliban rule. Also, more land is now used for opium in Afghanistan than for coca cultivation in Latin America. In 2007, 92% of the non-pharmaceutical-grade opiates on the world market originated in Afghanistan. This amounts to an export value of about $4 billion, with a quarter being earned by opium farmers and the rest going to district officials, insurgents, warlords, and drug traffickers. In the seven years (1994–2000) prior to a Taliban opium ban, the Afghan farmers' share of gross income from opium was divided among 200,000 families. In addition to opiates, Afghanistan is also the largest producer of cannabis (mostly as hashish) in the world.
Of course with all the firepower we've had there for a decade you'd think a few Patriot or Hellfire missiles would have found their way to a few of the poppy fields.
This "war" is a joke.
Who has the constitutional power to cut budgets david?
Congress.
You're welcome.
Hasn't this been the plan?
This is a wasted war and $1.5 T dollars shoved down the waste can plus all the wasted lives.
But look at the profits the warmongers made on this war...
US 'War on terror' is the biggest scam ever invented!
Actually, I think the Clapper was. HAve you ever tried watching a funny sitcom, with all of those laugh tracks, with one of those darn clappers in the room.........it's terrible.
I agreed with the initial invasion after 9/11, but I think we should have left within 1 or 2 years after that.
911 was a scam. The truth is already out there and it is only a matter of time before the whole country accepts the truth. The most convincing proof that 911 was an Inside Job was what happened to World Trade Center Building 7. It was brought down by controlled demolition and to do that it had to have been prewired and that takes weeks and sometimes months. Now if you can explain how Bin Laden did that, I am here listening.
radar seriously the building was not blown from the bottom up as a real demolition is done The building was destroyed as jet fuel ran down the inside of the building and burned everything in its path melting the structure a that started a chain reaction of the mass above it caving in
Radar, why don't you go out to the zoo and see some of your relatives. Oh and did you hear that the stuff about landing on the moon was a lie? And did you hear about George Washington growing some sizable amounts of hemp on his plantation?
@gordonw12, yeah, right! first, we had the "surprise attack" on pearl harbor, then we had the "magic bullet", and now we have jet fuel that can leap from building to building, melting everthing in its path while causing a systematically-controlled demolition of buildings with no history of free fall...EVER. please, do enlighten us idiots...and share some of that sheet you are smoking!
maybe you should actually see a building wired for demolition THERE IS NO MISTAKING THE WIRES CONNECTED TO ALL THE C-4 PACKETS you can not hide all that equipment (i have seen those in my own town when they took down a really old hotel)
mad marine dad , smarten up ! thats an ORDER!
Once again,
http://money.msn.com/investing/11-things-wrong-with-congress
Who got the profits. Hint: Secretary of Defense Penetta, "A 10% Defense Budget Cut will result in a Million (US) Civilians becoming Unemployed".
The collapse happened because the underground shopping mall, parking lots, subway tunnels, etc. under building 7 collapsed.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=world+trade+center+shopping+mall+pics&id=68F9D89AB0C8C8D3BF255C2CB1C73B4C5B517253&FORM=IQFRBA#view=detail&id=68F9D89AB0C8C8D3BF255C2CB1C73B4C5B517253&selectedIndex=0
The jet fuel did not leap like your madbrain, there were two aircraft (American Airlines, United Airlines) hitting two buildings (WTC 1 and WTC 2). Previously, the World Trade Center Buildings 1 and 2, by design in case of an aircraft hitting either of them the steel support beams were covered with thick asbestos wrappings to prevent the jet fuel from melting the steel support beams. The asbestos wrappings were removed as a potential asbestos hazzard (eventhough they were sealed behind the walls). To get approval for the construction of the World Trade Center Towers, the building had to collapse one floor on top of another guided by the steel beams called Vierendeel trusses that were connected by spandrel plates as not to fall on the surrounding areas out to half a kilometer, as designed by Minoru Yamasaki.
Do not even equate the Pearl Harbor Attack to the 9/11 2001 Attacks, there were many things that the US did to instigate a War with Japan to get the US into the War at Europe "Or England Will Fall". After most of the pre WWII and WWII US War Department Documents were declassified:
At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor by Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon (Dec 1, 1991)
Day Of Deceit: The Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor by Robert Stinnett (May 8, 2001)
Before you say the above are more "Conspiracy Theories", "Wearing Tin Foil Hats", and all the rest of the adolescent name calling the declassified US War Department Documents contained in the books above resulted in the US Congressional Exonerations of USN Admiral Kimmel Commander USN Pearl Harbor, General Short Commander US Army Forces (including US Army Air Corps) Territory of Hawaii.
So nope, madMarinedad, no comparison of the 9/11 2001 Attacks to Pearl Harbor. As also a fact, the Director of the CIA Bush, later President Bush (41) had built up the US Intelligence Agencies to be the Envy of the World after the Fall of the USSR and KGB.
It was President Clinton (42) Belief that the Cold War Era US Defense, US Intelligence Agencies, US Military were no longer needed; so President Clinton as Commander In Chief Ordered the Chopping of the US Defense Budget, Gutting the US Intelligence Agencies, Cut to the Bone Reduction In Forces (RIFs) of the US Military. Same crap all of you are demanding as Repeat the Same Mistakes and Expect Different Results. The Results of President Clinton (42):
The US Defense Budget Cuts also chopped the Funding for the US Army Corps of Engineers Infrastructure Projects within the US like Bridges, Dams, Berms (like those earthen levees that saved homes during Hurricane Sandy), Dredging of Streams and Rivers (recent floods and droughts), Water Reserviors (droughts), Irrigation Canals (droughts), and of course the recommended maintenance building new repairs modifications etc. of the Levees at New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina. And to the naysayers, sorry it was President Clinton's Fault as to why US Congress during the Katrina Hearings later absolved the US Army Corps of Engineers of any blame, as well as President Bush (43) as these US Army Corps of Engineer Projects must be funded years before due to Environmental Impact Studies, long Court Cases, GAO Reviews, CBO Reviews, etc..
President Clinton's Gutting of the US Intelligence Agencies resulted in the US being Blind and Deaf to the Events leading to the 9/11 2001 Attacks. In most Nations the US no longer funded local nationals as intelligence assets. The US had to rely on information (not even intelligence) from "potentially hostile" Nations like Pakistan, Jordan, etc.; so no US Allies would allow the US access to their intelligence nor intelligence assets as they might be compromised by the US. Bipartisan US Congressional 9/11 Commission (Committee) Investigations, Findings, and Recommendations, with former President Clinton saying, "I'm a so sorry".
The US Military as Cut to the Bone by President Clinton (42) took President Bush (43) from 2001 to 2003 to rebuild the US Military to accomplish President Clinton's US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein in accordance with President Clinton's US Law H.R.4655, "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" Section 2 Findings (Justifications) Weapons of Mass Destruction, Section 3 US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein.
Since most of you do not know, stating as Policy the Overthrow of a Soverign Nation's Established Government IS a Declaration of War; just as if the Chinese and or Russian Federation made it their Policies to Overthrow President Obama.
Also from surviving, the US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces also conduct independent Intelligence verifications. So when President Clinton (42) Cut the US Military to the Bone, there were not enough of us to do all the independent Intelligence verifications, as it takes about 10.5 years or more years to even create more US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces Team Members, and you MUST have local nationals as intelligence assets to link up with unless you want to get caught.
Bring them all home NOW! Enough this nonsense already...
Max you are so corretc!
Pro, he will be right on schedule. Out by the end of 2014.
Did you not read the article.....already talking about extended operations past 2014.......or do you know something that his own staff don't know?
I guess the details are irrelevant to you.
“By the end of 2014, we will responsibly bring our war in Afghanistan to a close,” the official said.
All that said is in negotiations, nothing written in stone. We still have guards in Iraq on Embassy duty as security.
Go research the Agreement of President Obama with President Karzai for US Military to remain at Afghanistan indefinitely after the US Military Conventional Warfare Forces leave 2014. Leaving the remaining US Military without the backup nor support of the US Military Conventional Warfare Forces.
And who are those US Military Forces stuck here indefinintely, us. And do not even say quit, a lot of us have turned in our Retirement Packets to go back on Retirement, denied. Letters of Resignation, not accepted. Letters to Congressional Representatives, typical response, "Needs of National Security".
The Reason that the United Nations, US, NATO Military Forces must abandon US Ally Afghanistan is at post#1.24:
The Main Reason is that President Obama's Failed Foreign Policies lost: the Islamic Shia Nation of Iraq; the US Military Logistics Support Bases at Pakistan required to support the United Nations Mission at Landlocked Afghanistan so the Unsupported United Nations, US, NATO Military Forces must abandon US Ally Afghanistan again; US Ally Egypt; US Ally Libya; the Strategic Resources Worldwide required for the current US and US Allies Standard of Living and future Alternative Energy; US and US Allies loss of Strategic Locations Worldwide; US And US Allies loss of Key and Strategic US and US Allies Allies Worldwide.
Go do the research, it is not written in stone, it is written on paper.
Uh, huh. Just how many "guards" do you think we have at the $1 Billion US Embassy Iraq (cost $6 Billion a year to operate) to guard the 104 Acre compound. Again with the President Obama lies and propaganda; how many US Military do you think it takes to do Combat Patrols "outside the wire" to keep snipers, mortars, rockets, etc. out of range of the US Embassy Iraq Compound. How many US Civilians do you think are at Iraq hired as US Contractors.
By the way do you know where the US Military Forces withdrawn from Iraq to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia went. Hint: Border of S.......Y.......R, as just one more President Obama lie.
Well since I am currently stuck in this crap hole country thanks to your POTUS (I do not claim him) Construction tempo is increasing so I would say we are here for a long time. Or maybe we are just building Hussien's "friends" a nice place to visit?
Re-writing history??
As I recall it was George Bush's war. But then I was on planet earth when it started.
Bush did'nt start it the freakin terrorists did
You're stuck there due to OUR POTUS??????
troublet55 is stuck here, my Teams and I are stuck here indefinitely, so are a arse load (about a hundred thousand) of US Civilians of President Obama's US Civilian Surge(s).
troublet55 better hurry to the Boardwalk at Kandy har har AFB to TGIF Fridays before they close down. Have you ever been up here in the mountains (northeast).
I am excited as the Presidents staff has read my comments about winding down the War now to save lives and money. Keep reading the Super, staff and you have a chance to win. Suggest that the Republicans take heed and know the Super can lead you to the promised land! You Republicans love Mr Limbeau Limblade, Limbald, Limbwerst, oh what ever, for his kind considerate and enlightening suggestions for the Future! And Rubio the Earth is 5000 years old guy is just your answer. Romney junior!
Put down the bath salts and lock yourself down before you try to go all zombie on someone.
Sure they read your comments, and started laughing their arses off.
Since you are not here, and will not believe what I post, go ask troublet55 post#6.
I told all of you before do NOT listen to President Obama's Propaganda, watch what he does.
A war that should have ended 8 years ago! McCain and Graham will have a press conference on how we should stay!
They'll change their 'minds' if Obama says we need to stay.
Which way is the wind blowing this month?
Tired-of-it They'll change their "minds"if Obama says we need to stay.
Thats a good point. The President should say the opposite of what he wants to do. Than the republicans will say they want no part of what Obama wants to do. That way he will get what he wants. Its so simple.
Smitty, that would be a good idea. The problem is The Pres. is too honest.
Honest about WHAT.
EXIT to where next ?
Bring all the troops home, the sooner the better.
Get them all out of there. And let's stop with this nonsense that their being there is keeping us safe. I never thanked troops either in Iraq or Afghanistan for being there and keeping us safe. Instead, I railed against our presence there and pushed the coversation to demand we withdraw from this bloody nonsense. I would like to think that is from actions by me and others that got us out of Iraq and now out of Afghanistan. Let this be a lesson to everyone: Don't always support your government's decisions when it comes to wars. Speak out!
Thank you, radar015. You are someone who makes some sense...
Here here! Very intelligent and logical statement.
I am so sick of the, "You gotta support the troops!"
Why? No one is there at this point who didn't want to go.
Bring them all home and if they still want to fight they can
go work for one of Cheney's secret company's.
Well you don't have to believe they are keeping us safe, but I hope you at least thank them for their SERVICE. Half of our soldiers probably hate the fact that they are over there just as much or more than you do.
Radar . I like to whip your ass ya commie!
Abandon another US Ally (again).
"Empty Words" no actions.
FOS.
$57 billion to rebuild that corrupt ,dirt clod country,green on blue back shooters.Another increase in unemployment and they want more split tails on the line? God is great,beer is good,people are crazy.
People have to be naive to think that the troops won't be directed to another part of the world. Maybe Africa.....who knows..
But does anyone actually think the generals are simply going to let their toys sit around and not do anything with them ? You've got to be naive to think otherwise.
Obama is an expert at creating power vacuums. Now Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, and the South China Sea, etc. He needs Hagel and Kerry in place to cut the military and pander to our adversaries.
Welcome to four more years of a stumbling economy, declining American influence around the globe, and heavy handed government regulations. Excellent.
Procrustes-2100316Procrustes-2100316 -
You are absolutely correct. Obama and his policies are all bought and paid for by George Soros. His goal is the total destruction of America and it's power.
We need to end this yet another failure of US foreign policy. Unnecessary and immoral US military occupations are financial burdens we can ill afford to bear.
I have three words to say, Its about time!!!
Uh...excuse me Mr. Obama but didn't you say when you got elected and then reelected that ALL TROOPS in Afghanistan were coming home? Which part of ALL did you forget?
wisonarden777.
Really??? Does this look like a blog for online shopped you dolt.
The Afgan people dont like us and all other Muslim Nations. So lets go. I say we pull all out and just protect our borders until attacked.
Then we go in swift and strong, kick there butts and leave. No rebuilding, no protection details. Just leave and make all nations aware that we wont take sh&t and were not going to pet your necks when its all over. Just leave and make it to where they dont want us to come back or mess with us again.
I agree with that. The military is not good at nation building anyway. They are good at wreaking destruction on our enemies. If some rogue nation attacks us and we retaliate, why should we then have to spend billions more "rebuilding" them?
Precisely. Like it or not, we are an imperial power and will remain one. But some places on earth can't be occupied and pacified by military force; they can only be kept in check. And the way to do that is by large-scale retaliatory raids which last no more than six months but which leave nothing but wreckage in their wake. We Americans tend to make too much of wanting to be liked in the world. For an empire, it's far better to be feared. Any culture will eventually learn not to tangle with a power which, when poked, reacts by utterly devastating their homeland and then disappearing out of reach.
That is the precise talk I had with a Ultra Liberal teacher at my kids school.
She thought that we should just pray and hold hands for peace. While that well and good.
I asked her if she remembered a school bully and she said yes. I told her that he had peace. Of course she disagreed. I then said who messed with him and she said no one otherwise he would beat them up.
I told her "there, my lesson is done". You have peace through fear and power. There are some out there that will disagree with this and so be it, but its a fact.
Want the troops home as soon as possible. But stop all the announcing. Why not tell the enemy exactly what day and time, and where they will be leaving. Idiot President, stop announcing every move just because you want political credit.
Typical liberal coward. Obama is surrendering. He comes from the same mold as Jimmy Carter and George McGovern. The troops will hate him for not letting them finish this job. Damn coward!
What job can they finish?
By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army; This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds. By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.
-Sun Tzu, the Art of War
So why aren't you there doing the job?
Praise God,, now they can get ready for world wars. Maybe come home and fight this criminal governments tyranny and treasonous acts. But may as well get ready for world wars as we see this countries future is nothing but WARS with this wicked kings agenda. Our military now used for this wicked kings hit squad.. Sad how they will fall into the intentions of Martial law in America and this wicked king will use them against their own people. Now Korea and Iran this governments next target and I wouldn't put it past this criminal government to nuke their own cities and blame Korea, or Iran, then put us under martial law so they can do their gun sweep. Any one else see this deception now being played out in this O-Abomination and his Muslim agenda, conform or die..
Go big O-Abomination, big deception and lies. Big coward with a lying tong. Big damnation upon the people of this nation. Go BIG WARS.
This whole criminal government today lacks anything good for our nation. All a bunch a greedy selfish Dinosaurs who have no fix for this country.. Their whole outlook is, why fix anything when you can exploit it and get filthy rich.. Go hide in your rotted Fox holes, YOUR lack of leadership is a shame-scam upon the people and is surly going to be this counties damnation..
Liar, theft, lack of leadership and words of nothing but deceptions. For all you fools who will be listening to this STATE OF the UNION, which is truly, state of division, Divided states of their deceptions.,YOUR king is going to lie and divert the issues like he has in the past. While attacking others for trying to fix something good and clean as his agenda only calls for more division, more unrest and a lack of leadership when it comes to the security of our nation. And one man talked of corrupt and greedy kings like this O-Abomination and all these minions. the blind won't hear the deaf have no ears and surly this criminal government has many lies and deceptions to fill you up. Math 12-34-37, Oh generation of vipers, how can you being evil, speak of any good thing?? For out of the greed of your hearts the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things, and this evil man out of evil treasures will bring forth evil things. But I say unto you, that every idol-vain word that this man will speak, they shall give account in the day of judgment. That by their words they shall be justified, and by his evil lying words he shall be condemned..
Now as I see and witness this liar, theft, blasphemer and wicked king who deceives for gain of his glory. I see all of this damnation upon him and his evil generation day and night of nothing but darkness for our nation. A nation that is in danger of massive wars, triple debt and a house divided that will not stand. A government that is condemned to fail and witness all the plagues, sickness and destruction they have sown in this world themselves and a king who will run and hide, Yet these plagues and sickness will follow him into his fox hole..There he will run and hide, but he will take Seven spirits with him, more wicked than himself and they will enter in and dwell with all the O-Abomination upon their rotted souls.
I do not understand this type of thinking. If we are going to withdraw our troops any way, why not rotate them out so we can keep our troop numbers up and at a safe level? Then when the time comes to withdraw, we withdraw them all at once. If we are reading about this on the Internet than I am sure that the enemy already knows that we are more than cutting our troop size in half. This to me is telling the fox that the hen house is unguarded. There is strength in numbers and we are cutting our numbers by more than one half. This is already a dangerous part of the world and our men and women in the military have enemies on ALL sides of them as it is. Hell, they are being killed by the very people that they are training to take over! I have a son who was in Afghanistan. He enlisted because he felt that was where he was needed. I am VERY PROUDof him and his willingness to serve his country. I have only heard a small part of what he went through although I fear the experience has forever changed him. It was already a dangerous part of the world for our Men and Women to be in and now we are going to double that danger level by removing more than half of them! I say if you are going to bring home half of them, bring them all home! Troop draw down only makes them less safe. Think about a power play in hockey. The other team loses a guy on a penalty and now you have a better chance to score. Now imagine half of the team in the penalty box. That concerns me. PLEASE, Pray for our troops!
2/12/13 I would like to hear the Opinion of Our American Warriors. Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans.
Everyone else is just a arm-chair quarterback with a opinion.
Those Americans that have Fought this War in Afghanistan have the most valued opinion in my book.
What Say You Afghanistan Veterans ?
SPW in Alaska Drafted July 1969 Airborne All the Way
Steve,
Thank you for your service. However I was in the Panama conflict and the Gulf War and feel that I do have an opinion. I dont feel that I am an "armchair quarterback".
I also have a Daugher in Afganistan as we speak. I am very concerned about half of the troops being removed. James related it to a Hockey analogy. Spot on James!!
I am not dumb. I do realize that we are there for some political agenda, most of which we as Citizens will never get to hear.
bhavepeople Tue 2/12/13 Welcome Home My Fellow Veteran.
Your Daughter & You have EARNED the Right to speak your opinion & Yes I sincerely value that opinion.
What I grow so very very Tired of is those that speak as if they are right there in Afghanistan & it's all about Them but yet they have Never Served or stepped foot in Afghanistan. My Dad used to call that "Talkin' like a Man with a Paper AzzHole"
Seriously when YOUR DAUGHTER RETURNS HOME ALIVE & WELL & SHE WILL I would very much like to Listen to HER OPINION of AFGHANISTAN Her Opinion & the Opinion of Her Fellow Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans has the most credit & importance cuz They have been There.
May ALL OF OUR TROOPS COME HOME ALIVE & WELL & SOON,VERY SOON
May GOD BE WITH THEM & KEEP THEM SAFE !
SPW in Alaska Airborne All the Way
Steve,
Thank you and well put. I did not take any offense. I did know what you meant by "armchair quarterback".
Unfortuanately I did not go Airborne. That takes some serious (you know what) to jump out of an airplane.
So, this is about the 354 announcement by obama that we have no mission, objective, or desire to win anything over there? So, why don't we just pack everybody up and get the heck out? Why does he keep using this as a political talking point? Our military people have been dying for no reason since obamas "big" annoucement months ago. But, hey, maybe a few deaths are ok with Obama... just gotta be "optimal" for him.
You volunteering?
that was stupid woodbutcher.
Ok first off, stop blaming the entry into this war on the current President. As memory serves me, George W. Bush was in office back in 2001 when we first arrived in Afghanistan. Secondly, Mr. Obama never said that he would put an expediant end to OEF when he was first elected. Something along the lines of until the job was done... Bottom line, we shouldn't have spread our resources so thin. We shouldn't have tried to fight two wars at once. If our focus had just been Afghanistan, the outcome may have been different. I am also concerned about troop removal. It should be all or nothing.
I don't agree with all of the policies of this administration, but I am so sick of all of the blame being put in the wrong place. Is there really that many people in this country who have such severe memory loss that they cannot remember things that have happened just 6 years ago? 8 years ago? 10 years ago? Really? It wasn't that great then either.
And thirdly, Chuck, dude, I really think that you need to unplug your computer, television, radio really anything that gives you access to message boards, comment pages, social media outlets; things of that nature. You may also want to request an adjustment to your medications because it is apparent you are still living in crazytown.
(BTW, I am currently serving and my husband is an OIF Veteran, no armchair riding here :)
exblonde......you said:
(Slight) correction: If our focus had just been Afghanistan, the outcome (particularly for the tens of thousands of innocents "collaterally damaged" in Iraq) WOULD have been VERY different.
That's Republican "logic" for you: when stung by a bee......beat your dog.
And four years from now the obama annoucement will be... "sorry the economy is so bad, but hey, got good news, I have decided to withdraw 2 of the remaining 6 soldiers fighting the war..... thats like some kind of high percentage... and I get to cut the DOD budget again.... aint I wonderful".