About Us
Mission Statement
Rules of Conduct
 
Name:
Pswd:
Remember Me
Register
 

Ask a Vet
Author: TriSec    Date: 02/17/2009 11:40:33

Good Morning.

Today is our 2,162nd day in Iraq.

We'll start this morning as we always do, with the latest casualty figures from Iraq and Afghanistan, courtesy of Antiwar.com:

American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 4245
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 4106
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 3784
Since Handover (6/29/04): 3387
Since Election (1/31/05): 2807

Other Coalition Troops - Iraq: 318
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 651
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 426
Contractor Deaths - Iraq: 446

We find this morning's cost of war nearing $600 billion dollars:

$597, 665, 900, 000.00



So....here at Ask a Vet, you know we focus almost exclusively on the war in Iraq...ocassionally looking at Afghanistan, and once in a long while, veering away from these conflicts entirely. Today, we'll be thinking far outside the box.



This past weekend marked the 20th anniversary of the Soviet Union's defeat in Afghanistan. (February 15, 1989). Most of us know the very-high-level history of the conflict. In December of 1979, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, allegedly at the "request" of the puppet government they installed. The world protested, and our own President Carter initiated the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics in response.

Over much of the 1980s, we continually supplied the Mujahadeen, including a young Saudi ex-pat named Osama bin Laden, and eventually the war of attrition dragged on far enough that the Soviets finally gave up and went home.

For much of these past 20 years, Afghanistan has been a center of anarchy; numerous governments have risen and fallen, and religious extremists have been able to set up a base with complete impunity. Indirectly, at least, the turmoil in Afghanistan led to September 11, and even today this area of the world still looms large on the global stage.

There's news this morning that President Obama has kept another campaign pledge; there's a "surge" of troops underway to Afghanistan, and they've begun combat operations.


LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Close to 3,000 American soldiers who recently arrived in Afghanistan to secure two violent provinces near Kabul have begun operations in the field and already are seeing combat, the unit's spokesman said Monday.

The new troops are the first wave of an expected surge of reinforcements this year. The process began to take shape under President George Bush but has been given impetus by President Barack Obama's call for an increased focus on Afghanistan.

U.S. commanders have been contemplating sending up to 30,000 more soldiers to bolster the 33,000 already here, but the new administration is expected to initially approve only a portion of that amount. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday the president would decide soon.

The new unit — the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division — moved into Logar and Wardak provinces last month, and the soldiers from Fort Drum, N.Y., are now stationed in combat outposts throughout the provinces.

Militants have attacked several patrols with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, including one ambush by 30 insurgents, Lt. Col. Steve Osterhozer, the brigade spokesman, said.

Several roadside bombs also have exploded next to the unit's MRAPs — mine-resistance patrol vehicles — but caused no casualties, he said.

"In every case our vehicles returned with overwhelming fire," Ostehozer said. "We have not suffered anything more than a few bruises, while several insurgents have been killed."

Commanders are in the planning stages of larger scale operations expected to be launched in the coming weeks.


I was just pondering the irony of that....here on this blog at least, we've spent the better part of the last four years railing against the war in Iraq, and constantly calling for the troops to come home, so it's with mixed emotions that I applaud this move...after all, this is the war we should have fought after 9/11, but I digress.

So, in a roundabout way, we've come to the story that caught my eye over the weekend. Afghanistan may be directly responsible for the fall of the Soviet Union; maybe not. In any case, there are thousands of Russain soldiers out there that fought and died in the mountains of Afghanistan, in most cases no less bravely or honorably than our own soldiers today. 20 years after their humiliation, they have a sobering message for President Obama:


MOSCOW (Reuters) – Soviet veterans marking 20 years since their defeat in Afghanistan warned the United States it would never truly control the country, citing bitter memories of a fiercely proud people and unforgiving landscape.

The withdrawal of the last Soviet troops from Afghanistan on February 15, 1989 ended a decade of fighting that killed an estimated 15,000 Soviet troops and convinced a generation of soldiers they had been sent to fight a war they could not win.

The United States, preparing to pour more troops into Afghanistan to fight a growing Taliban-led insurgency, is reliving their nightmare, they said.

"It's like fighting sand. No force in the world can get the better of the Afghans," said Oleg Kubanov, a stocky 47-year-old former officer with the Order of the Red Star pinned to his chest at an anniversary concert in Moscow.

"It's their holy land, it doesn't matter to them if you're Russian, American. We're all soldiers to them."

Thousands of veterans, some in dress suits, some in combats, gathered Friday for a lavish concert organized by Moscow City Hall. As they embraced and posed for pictures before the show, many cited America's troubles as proof their campaign in Afghanistan had been hopeless from the start.

Reports that U.S. President Barack Obama plans to boost U.S. forces there to 60,000 revived bitter memories for members of the Soviet deployment that steadily climbed to a peak of more than 100,000 troops as the insurgency deepened in the mid-1980s.

There are 36,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan today, split between the 55,000-strong NATO force and separate U.S. missions, both charged with protecting a transitional government from Taliban forces.

"Numbers don't solve anything," said Shamil Tyukteyev, 59, who lead a regiment in Afghanistan from 1986-88. "You can't put a soldier outside every house or a base on every mountain. We saw it ourselves, the more troops, the more resistance."

(continued...)



So....it is with some hope that this administration is not doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past; even if we learn from someone else's mistakes, then we would be wise to review that history.
 

112 comments (Latest Comment: 02/18/2009 04:17:11 by MMB)
   Perma Link

Share This!

Furl it!
Spurl
NewsVine
Reddit
Technorati

Add a Comment

Please login to add a comment...


Comments:

Order comments Newest to Oldest  Refresh Comments

Comment by wickedpam on 02/17/2009 13:22:51
Morning :hug:

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 13:23:10
Good Morning. Great Ask a Vet today, tri.



I am very concerned about Afghanistan. I hope that it is not our intention to control the country. If it is, we will not have learned from history.

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 13:53:54
http://images.salon.com/comics/tomo/2009/02/17/tomo/story.gif


Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 13:58:10
:( Bill press is talking about Randi going off the air.

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 13:59:19
Comment by Random on 02/17/2009 14:07:38
Quote by Raine:

http://images.salon.com/comics/tomo/2009/02/17/tomo/story.gif


hm...kind of makes me glad i'm not that sensitive.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/17/2009 14:10:05
Morning guys. So yeah, I saw Sicko a couple times this weekend and it's fantastic and funny in a scary way. I honestly think it's his best work since Roger & Me.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/17/2009 14:10:16






seems like Randi has a problem finding a real home for her show

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:12:20
Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:13:02
Quote by Scoopster:

Morning guys. So yeah, I saw Sicko a couple times this weekend and it's fantastic and funny in a scary way. I honestly think it's his best work since Roger & Me.


I have to agree. I really liked Sicko...

Comment by TriSec on 02/17/2009 14:13:15




Note to Bristol: "abstinence" means "not having sex".







Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:13:46
Good Morning again everyone! has kicked in!

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:13:46
Good Morning again everyone! has kicked in!

Comment by BobR on 02/17/2009 14:14:29
wow Tri - great post.



Comment by BobR on 02/17/2009 14:15:07
Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:32:22
Wow that is great... we are only better than Las Vegas and Detroit.



WooHoo... now tell me WHY the housing prices are still off the charts?



Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:33:05
Quote by TriSec:





Note to Bristol: "abstinence" means "not having sex".







:thud:

Comment by TriSec on 02/17/2009 14:37:28




Boston is a lone 'bright spot'? By whose measure? We just finished a year that saw the highest foreclosure rate since the depression, about 17% of ALL homes in this Commonwealth are in foreclosure...



The city itself is full of transients; don't forget we have at least 5 universities within city limits with a student body of 20,000+ each....landlords can charge what they want, and the students will pay it.





Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:42:48
Quote by TriSec:





Boston is a lone 'bright spot'? By whose measure? We just finished a year that saw the highest foreclosure rate since the depression, about 17% of ALL homes in this Commonwealth are in foreclosure...



The city itself is full of transients; don't forget we have at least 5 universities within city limits with a student body of 20,000+ each....landlords can charge what they want, and the students will pay it.



Boston and New York... interesting huh? I was wondering the same thing.



I am actually looking for the actual Census report.



Comment by Scoopster on 02/17/2009 14:44:19
Well now.. looks like the two major asshats who got me banned from DK were themselves banned this weekend.



All I have to say is bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'

Comment by TriSec on 02/17/2009 14:52:31
Qapla' Balth je'

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:54:40
Quote by Scoopster:

Well now.. looks like the two major asshats who got me banned from DK were themselves banned this weekend.



All I have to say is bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'
Indeed. (and yes, I googled it )



Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:55:23
zOMG. I smell a Ditch bigger than a black hole.

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:56:58
Rush is an ASSHOLE about this PDF file story. -- and a LIAR.



LIAR LIAR



I hope Adobe goes after him for this.

Comment by TriSec on 02/17/2009 14:57:21
Wow! I can't keyword search a .pdf???



I'll alert my manager; this will certainly be an important update!



Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:57:36
Ctrl F is your friend Rush.

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 14:58:02
Quote by TriSec:

Wow! I can't keyword search a .pdf???



I'll alert my manager; this will certainly be an important update!



:rofl:

Comment by clintster on 02/17/2009 15:00:10
Rush: "For those of you who don't use computers, I'm going to play with your fear and technological ignorance to make you think the Democrats are hiding the truth from you."





My friends. (wheeze)

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 15:01:22
Hey Rush: Search This.



Lazy, uninformed, lying, arrogant bastahd.







Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 15:02:05
Quote by clintster:

Rush: "For those of you who don't use computers, I'm going to play with your fear and technological ignorance to make you think the Democrats are hiding the truth from you."





My friends. (wheeze)




Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 15:05:05
Comment by Random on 02/17/2009 15:07:17
Quote by TriSec:

Wow! I can't keyword search a .pdf???



I'll alert my manager; this will certainly be an important update!





Wait...Rush said you can't keyword search a pdf?



Jesus H. Christ. This man must be using some shitty freeware or something, because i use the standard Adobe reader for pdfs. It has a button on the toolbar so you can search (or an actual text field).



Random is very scared for the nation who listens to this asshole.



Course...Stephanie could never figure out how to search a pdf.

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 15:12:14
When did Obama EVER say he doesn't support the Fairness doctrine?







Comment by starling310 on 02/17/2009 15:12:54
Quote by wickedpam:







seems like Randi has a problem finding a real home for her show




Randi is a diva, which I am positive makes her difficult to work with. She is a talent on the Progressive side, however, so these networks do themselves and us a disservice by not ponying up whatever it is she's asking for ( within reason I suppose. ) I know we aren't supposed to negotiate with terrorists, but when it comes to trying to make a dent in the Right's hate radio, we need all the help we can get.



Comment by starling310 on 02/17/2009 15:15:20
The French Riviera?

Comment by livingonli on 02/17/2009 15:22:25
Good morning everyone.

Comment by livingonli on 02/17/2009 15:28:10
Quote by Raine:

Quote by TriSec:

Wow! I can't keyword search a .pdf???



I'll alert my manager; this will certainly be an important update!



:rofl:


:rofl:

Comment by livingonli on 02/17/2009 15:30:16
Quote by Random:

Quote by TriSec:

Wow! I can't keyword search a .pdf???



I'll alert my manager; this will certainly be an important update!





Wait...Rush said you can't keyword search a pdf?



Jesus H. Christ. This man must be using some shitty freeware or something, because i use the standard Adobe reader for pdfs. It has a button on the toolbar so you can search (or an actual text field).



Random is very scared for the nation who listens to this asshole.



Course...Stephanie could never figure out how to search a pdf.


Rush is a lying sack of shit who will say anything as a watercarrier for the GOP and he gets away with this because his listeners are idiots. There is a reason they take pride in being called dittoheads.

Comment by livingonli on 02/17/2009 15:32:10
Quote by starling310:

Quote by wickedpam:







seems like Randi has a problem finding a real home for her show




Randi is a diva, which I am positive makes her difficult to work with. She is a talent on the Progressive side, however, so these networks do themselves and us a disservice by not ponying up whatever it is she's asking for ( within reason I suppose. ) I know we aren't supposed to negotiate with terrorists, but when it comes to trying to make a dent in the Right's hate radio, we need all the help we can get.



Hopefully, Jones Radio/Dial Global will snatch her up. They seems to be moving to domination in progressive talk especially now that Air America seems to be sliding into oblivion (although she's burned her bridges there).

Comment by Scoopster on 02/17/2009 15:33:18
Morning liv! :coffee:

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 15:36:03
Quote by starling310:

Quote by wickedpam:







seems like Randi has a problem finding a real home for her show




Randi is a diva, which I am positive makes her difficult to work with. She is a talent on the Progressive side, however, so these networks do themselves and us a disservice by not ponying up whatever it is she's asking for ( within reason I suppose. ) I know we aren't supposed to negotiate with terrorists, but when it comes to trying to make a dent in the Right's hate radio, we need all the help we can get.

Amen sistah. I totally agree.



Let me try to put a diff spin on this... just as pondering monent: Would we really be saying she was a Diva is she wasn't a woman?



I mean look at effing Rush. Seriously that lying sack of crap is getting 400 million dollars -- for what exactly? You really think he is easy to deal with?



I have heard people say that she is difficult, and even allude to a drinking problem and such malarky... but let's keep this in mind...



Rush: Loud Blowhard; Oxycontin, Viagra Dominican republic.

Randi: Diva; wants what is fair for her business, has a few cocktails, smokes.



Randi was silened during the CACI things,. later during AAP, and now we have something else going on. I do not think this is just about a contract.



But that is me. There is no damn reason she should be off the air. Diva or not -- the droby's are doing prog radio a disservice.



And I personally think Clearchannel is involved.



Comment by wickedpam on 02/17/2009 15:39:19
A .pdf isn't a picture of a page If you have Adobe Acrobat you can totally edit and create stuff

Comment by starling310 on 02/17/2009 15:39:37
Quote by Raine:

Quote by starling310:

Quote by wickedpam:







seems like Randi has a problem finding a real home for her show




Randi is a diva, which I am positive makes her difficult to work with. She is a talent on the Progressive side, however, so these networks do themselves and us a disservice by not ponying up whatever it is she's asking for ( within reason I suppose. ) I know we aren't supposed to negotiate with terrorists, but when it comes to trying to make a dent in the Right's hate radio, we need all the help we can get.

Amen sistah. I totally agree.



Let me try to put a diff spin on this... just as pondering monent: Would we really be saying she was a Diva is she wasn't a woman?



I mean look at effing Rush. Seriously that lying sack of crap is getting 400 million dollars -- for what exactly? You really think he is easy to deal with?



I have heard people say that she is difficult, and even allude to a drinking problem and such malarky... but let's keep this in mind...



Rush: Loud Blowhard; Oxycontin, Viagra Dominican republic.

Randi: Diva; wants what is fair for her business, has a few cocktails, smokes.



Randi was silened during the CACI things,. later during AAP, and now we have something else going on. I do not think this is just about a contract.



But that is me. There is no damn reason she should be off the air. Diva or not -- the droby's are doing prog radio a disservice.



And I personally think Clearchannel is involved.





I concur! 100%!



Incidentally, when I use the word Diva, it is Gender neutral. Rush is also a Diva in my opinion.



But yes, there is a wiff of Randi being black balled because she is a loud, abrasive WOMAN instead of a loud, abrasive man.



Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 15:41:00
Quote by Random:

Course...Stephanie could never figure out how to search a pdf.
You were correct Random! We had an on air confirm of this from Momma herself!



:rofl:



Comment by livingonli on 02/17/2009 15:43:50
Quote by Raine:

Quote by Random:

Course...Stephanie could never figure out how to search a pdf.
You were correct Random! We had an on air confirm of this from Momma herself!



:rofl:



I think Momma needs to learn how to use the computer machine. I think someone even handles her facebook page.

Comment by BobR on 02/17/2009 15:44:58
Comment by Scoopster on 02/17/2009 15:52:07
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2183/20090216ks8.jpg


Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 15:54:18
Quote by livingonli:

I think Momma needs to learn how to use the computer machine. I think someone even handles her facebook page.


NO! Are you kidding me? Really?

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 15:55:16
Scoop!

Comment by Raine on 02/17/2009 15:57:54