Blowback is Killing Us. Just Come Home.

[C-Mag]

“Well, the problem is the Russians do not care about law, and we do. And, we don’t have a basis -our lawyers tell us- unless we have a U.N. Security Council resolution, which the Russians can veto and Chinese, OR unless we are under attack from the folks there, or unless we are invited in. Russia was invited in by the legitimate regime, well, it’s illegitimate in our mind, by the regime. And so, they were invited in and we’re not invited in.”...……………………….

"We’ve been fighting in Afghanistan, we’ve been fighting in Iraq, we’ve fighting -you know- in the region for fourteen years. And a lot of Americans don’t believe that we should be fighting and sending young Americans over to die in another country. That’s the problem.”
~ John Kerry, Sept 2016

That's an interesting line of thinking by our former Secretary of State. Full audio below.



https://theconservativetreehouse.com/20 ... ore-157965

[pineapplemike]

Trump Orders Major Afghan Drawdown: 7,000 Troops To Return Home In Coming Weeks
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-12- ... -back-home

CNN warns "officials brace for Trump announcement on Afghanistan" after Trump's Wednesday bombshell Syria troop pullout announcement. He's now initiated "a major drawdown" of forces in Afghanistan too, and while inside the beltway neocon heads might continue to explode, the broader public for which the seventeen year long Afghan war is deeply unpopular will no doubt cheer the move. And already NBC reports Thursday evening based on defense sources the White House has asked the Pentagon to draw up plans presenting "multiple options" including a "complete withdrawal". Following the "options" order it now appears Trump has pulled the trigger and "ordered the start of a reduction of American forces in Afghanistan" according to a breaking WSJ report:

More than 7,000 American troops will begin to return home from Afghanistan in the coming weeks, a U.S. official said. The move will come as the first stage of a phased drawdown and the start of a conclusion to the 17-year war that officials say could take at least many months. There now are more than 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile it shouldn't be forgotten that even the generals responsible for executing the Afghan war have been critics of late, including the commander of NATO's Resolute Support Mission and U.S. Forces in Afghanistan.

Speaking to NBC News in early November, Gen. Austin Scott Miller made deeply pessimistic public statements after taking charge of American operations, and shocked with his frank assessment that that the Afghan war cannot be won militarily and peace will only be achieved through direct engagement and negotiations with the Taliban — the very terror group which US forces sought to defeat when it first invaded in 2001. "This is not going to be won militarily," Gen. Miller said. "This is going to a political solution."

He explained further to NBC at the time:

My assessment is the Taliban also realizes they cannot win militarily. So if you realize you can't win militarily at some point, fighting is just, people start asking why. So you do not necessarily wait us out, but I think now is the time to start working through the political piece of this conflict

So it appears Trump is actually heeding his general's assessment in ordering the significant drawdown.

Currently the State Department is conducting on-again off-again shaky negotiations (since last summer) with Taliban officials with the help of intermediary countries Pakistan and Qatar.

The United States has spent well over $840 billion fighting the Taliban insurgency while also paying for relief and reconstruction in an "endless war" that has become more expensive, in current dollars, than the Marshall Plan, which was the reconstruction effort to rebuild Europe after World War II.

[C-Mag]

Keep going

[C-Mag]

Trump provides background on pulling out of Syria.

“Getting out of Syria was no surprise. I’ve been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer. Russia, Iran, Syria, and others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing [their] work. Time to come home and rebuild. #MAGA …

“Does the USA want to be the policeman of the Middle East, getting NOTHING but spending precious lives and trillions of dollars protecting others who, in almost all cases, do not appreciate what we are doing? Do we want to be there forever? Time for others to finally fight.

Dear Mr. President:
We write today to express our concern regarding your Administration’s consideration to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria. We believe that such action at this time is a premature and costly mistake that not only threatens the safety and security of the United States...…………………….

In conclusion, we encourage you to reconsider your proposal to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria to ensure that our nation’s strategic interests are secured.

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Angus King (I-ME)

What's our big Strategic stake in Syria. I'd like that explained and how Assad is such a danger to us.

[BjornP]

Iran evil. Iran supports Syria. Ergo, Syria evil. Both Iran and Syria in conflict with Israel. Israel is doubly good, so anyone in conflict with her is doubly evil. Therefore you must support going to war with Iran. After installing a Saudi approved puppet in Syria.

[C-Mag]

Iran evil. Iran supports Syria. Ergo, Syria evil. Both Iran and Syria in conflict with Israel. Israel is doubly good, so anyone in conflict with her is doubly evil. Therefore you must support going to war with Iran. After installing a Saudi approved puppet in Syria.

I invite all the nations in the world concerned about this to invade Syria immediately. Iran is evil, so probably should invade them too.

How soon do you think it will be before you land on the beaches of Tartus ?

[BjornP]

Iran evil. Iran supports Syria. Ergo, Syria evil. Both Iran and Syria in conflict with Israel. Israel is doubly good, so anyone in conflict with her is doubly evil. Therefore you must support going to war with Iran. After installing a Saudi approved puppet in Syria.

I invite all the nations in the world concerned about this to invade Syria immediately. Iran is evil, so probably should invade them too.

How soon do you think it will be before you land on the beaches of Tartus ?

Lol, all the nations in the world don't give a shit about Iran. Only you, SA and Israel do. I honestly think the US is the only country in the whole world that buys into the bullshit about Iran. Everyone else knows that if it wasn't for Iran humiliating you in 1979 and Saudi Arabia and Israel's conflict with Iran, the US wouldn't give a shit about them.

If my PM ever gets Danish troops to participate in an invasion of Iran, which could only be led by you, they better start wearing bulletproof vests at work, at home and while sleeping.

[C-Mag]

I don't give AF about Iran. Remember I'm Fortress America guy. You're the one that said they are evil and the US needs to stay in Syria because of it. Time for the US to pull back and let the rest of the world pay for its own security and fight its own battles.


Here's the best Twitter comment I've seen on the subject.

Will Warren
‏
After personally fighting in Iraq, and the war in Afghanistan still going on (17 years later). I could give a rats fuck if Syria destabilizes after a withdraw. Our own country is destabilized. At least let the troops come enjoy this shit show first hand at home #SyriaWithdrawal
5:14 PM - 19 Dec 2018

[C-Mag]

From an American standpoint. If it is that crucial that we are in Syria Congress should convene immediately and draw up a Declaration of War, mobilize the economy, start a Draft of all 17-25 year old males and females.

We can get this thing over quickly that way. Let's not fuck around. Assad and Iran are Evil, can't let Russia be friends with Syria...……………….. Syria is crucial to our Security, so let's go all in.

[BjornP]

I don't give AF about Iran. Remember I'm Fortress America guy. You're the one that said they are evil and the US needs to stay in Syria because of it. Time for the US to pull back and let the rest of the world pay for its own security and fight its own battles.

I am hurt and offended that you couldn't tell I was being sarcastic when I called Iran evil and the US needed to stay in Syria because of it...I thought my sarcasm was rather obvious. I feel all self-concious about it, now.

And...*pssst* Carlus, the reason you've intervened military in so many countries around the world isn't in fact because you're such a nice guy who just wants to help your friendly ol' neighbourino, Ned Flanders Wahhab in Saudi Arabia. It's because you could make money off of it, because there were ressources and markets there. By helping people "fight their battles", you gained favors. Some of those battles, were you fighting to put your guys on the throne - so to speak, which really makes it less "their" battles to start with. Good on you for walking away from it all now, but don't blow smoke up your own ass by claiming your governments helped fight other people's battles with no expectation on getting anything in return. You should be smarter than the morons who think the US intervened in select conflicts around the world to "spread liberty, democracy and freedom".

You intervened in all those places, including Europe, for the excat same reason any European country ever did: For more power and more trade or ressources. The freedom and democracy bullshit is something to tell the peasants who need to believe in a one dimensionally good vs evil, "just war" to fork over their tax dollars.