"Even if they bring the whole of America, they won't be able to stabilize Afghanistan,"

[The Straight Story]

Afghans unimpressed by Obama's troops surge

KABUL (Reuters) – Thirty thousand more U.S. troops for Afghanistan? Esmatullah only shrugged.

"Even if they bring the whole of America, they won't be able to stabilize Afghanistan," said the young construction worker out on a Kabul street corner on Wednesday morning. "Only Afghans understand our traditions, geography and way of life."

U.S. President Barack Obama's announcement of a massive new escalation of the eight-year-old war seemed to have impressed nobody in the Afghan capital, where few watched the speech on TV before dawn and fewer seemed to think new troops would help.

Obama said his goal was to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat" al Qaeda in Afghanistan and "reverse the Taliban's momentum."

...


For many, the prospect of more troops meant one thing: more civilian deaths.

"More troops will mean more targets for the Taliban and the troops are bound to fight, and fighting certainly will cause civilian casualties," Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai, a former Afghan prime minister, told Reuters.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091202/wl_nm/us_afghanistan_usa_reaction

[smalll]

1. Keep praying for defeat.

Not all prayers are answered.

:shrug:

[aquart]

2. "Praying for defeat"? NO INVADING ARMY HAS EVER CONQUERED THEM.

WE are the invaders. We were defeated with the first boots on the ground.

Why do men believe their penises will fall off if they admit they were WRONG?

[MercutioATC]

3. The Soviets were a hell of a lot more merciless than we are....

...and they got their asses kicked.

You're 100% correct. There is no possible "win" scenario.

[shadowknows69]

5. ROFL at the last part.

[Lagomorph]

4. It might get as dangerous as it is here!

Anything we do will only last as long as we stay there. It's Afghanistan. Their culture and resources make democracy an utterly futile effort.

Think North Korea without the food, technology, infrastructure.....

[NuttyFluffers]

6. you'd think listening to the Afghani people would be a start for winning "hearts and minds" on this

they sorta, kinda want us out. no excuses, no ideals, no logistical exceptions -- just out now. wisdom requires listening to the "benefactors" of your "attentions" to see if it will have the effect you desire. it is called consideration...