self delete, computer burp

[nadinbrzezinski]

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. I feel bruised and tired, so will have to read it too,later.

Thanks for your speech thread links, nadin.
And thanks for the effort to point to the Game and the real reasons we are continuing the clusterf**k.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. You welcome

and get some rest

[enlightenment]

3. ". . . taking into account conditions on the ground . . ."

That's the classic get out of jail free card isn't it?

What if the conditions don't warrant the 'transition'?

I listened to what he said in the primaries. Why the hell does that make this all right? I didn't see anything in my voter registration that said I have to agree 110% with the candidate I vote for - nor have I ever seen anything that says I have to give blind, unreasoning support to said candidate if they are elected. I have never done it and never will.

Of course the world has real dangers and no reasonable person is so deluded as to suggest we practice total isolationism or bury our heads in the sand. But you cannot root out and destroy an ideology with guns and bombs.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Reality is that he gave you a time table

and I do not agree with the war either... but reality is that the dangers are real.

Now I suspect that his domestic agenda is over... way too much history. He did not 'splain the strategic reasons very well... and I could try to articulate them but why bother? And people are just angry.

He is not violating his promises (on this one) from the presidential race, and I voted for him KNOWING full well that this escalation, that I do not agree with, was coming.

But people are over simplifying the whole thing... and knee jerking all the way to faux outrage...

[enlightenment]

5. I agree that there is nothing simple about it.

But to suggest that this timetable will bear out in truth is stretching reality until it screams - and you know it, nadin.

I don't think he's violating promises; I'd be more surprised if a politician KEPT one.

I simply do not believe that this is a 'winnable' situation and doing the precise same thing that has been done for centuries isn't going to change that.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. That is a whole different discussion

and we will leave Afghanistan the same way Alexander left it... tail between legs...

But he did give you (and the boys in the Pentagon) a time table.

[enlightenment]

7. Technically, yes. He did.

Question: why do you say 'we' in the first sentence and 'you' in the second? I noticed the 'you' in the previous post as well. Just curious . . .

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Well the US will leave Central Asia the same way

Alexander did. UNLESS, big qualifiers, they can somehow change the dynamics on the ground (hilarity to follow)

So yes, WE as in the US... we will face another defeat.

But I know the military. Hubby served for 21 years in one and I did in another, technically, for 10. The last thing the kids in the high command like to hear is... end of operations, or timelines. They just hate those words. Game's over.

On the bright side, if this works... the plebes on the hall today will not see a deployment to the war zone.

[enlightenment]

9. I'm pretty familiar with the military too -

a brat plus almost 10 years in uniform myself.

I hope for the best and prepare for the worst.