McChrystal: "We are not viewed as occupiers now.”

[bigtree]

McChrystal sees victory ahead in Afghanistan

Stars and Stripes
Saturday, January 2, 2010

U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan “are not winning yet, but we are going to win,” Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, told Stars and Stripes in an interview Friday.

But the general said it was not possible to say how long it will take to achieve victory, which he defined as a situation where “the insurgency is not an existential threat to the government or the people” of Afghanistan. He added that protecting civilians remains the goal of the allied counterinsurgency strategy.

“There’s no way to put an exact timeline on it, because as I’ve said, the Afghan people will decide ,” McChrystal said, speaking by phone from Kabul. “But I believe that over the next year to 18 months that we’re going to be able to decisively change the perception of momentum and gains by the insurgents.”


With the buildup of U.S. forces, and with NATO countries promising to add at least 7,000 troops, comparisons with the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, which began 30 years ago, are inevitable. McChrystal said that while the Soviets were quickly regarded as occupiers by most Afghans, U.S. and other coalition forces are not.

“I’m the first to tell people that tactically, militarily, did a lot of things well. But they killed more than a million Afghans in the process, and they created an environment in which the antibodies of the society literally surged against them,” McChrystal said. “What we are working on is that we’re really focusing on getting counterinsurgency, protecting the people, in the minds of the Afghan people. We are not viewed as occupiers now.”

read: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=66983


. . . really?

[hobbit709]

1. The Afghan people regard ANY foreign troops as occupiers

What planet is this idiot general on?

[Sebastian Doyle]

5. The planet of lies and spin

Remember, McChrystal is the bastard who created the fiction about Pat Tillman's death and covered up the fact that it was a "friendly fire" incident.

[malaise]

13. +1

These fuckers never learn

[glitch]

16. Didn't he also oversee the torture program in Iraq? Why yes, I believe he did:

http://www.esquire.com/the-side/richardson-report/stan-mcchrystal-torture-051909

[BeFree]

2. What a joke

Of course he says we are gonna win. It's gonna cost the US trillions of dollars, and we will win. What? You expected him to say we might not win?

The whole thing is a gawd damn joke on the American people meant to take their money and make them feel safe.

"..victory, which he defined as a situation where “the insurgency is not an existential threat to the government or the people"

Hell the sumbitches think liberals are an insurgent threat right here at home!

[Enrique]

3. wow, we're going to "change the perception of momentum"

and in only 18 months!

[shadowknows69]

10. IE. Were going to increase our large scale bombing and drone attacks

And kill the population down to a manageable level like in Iraq.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. So, they're killing our troops with bombs because of a flower shortage?

Or, perhaps, they're just ignorant ingrates that understand the great chess game requires killing kids..for their own good, of course.

[bemildred]

6. Just a couple more Friedman units. nt

[Black-Eyed Susan]

7. McChrystal

is a ghoul.

When the Obama admin gave him the reins that was a sure signal.

[EFerrari]

14. Obama put the Pod People in charge of the military.

How can such a smart man be so wrong.

[Mari333]

8. lying sack of shit!!!!

[Metta]

9. 1984-speak. Happy karma, Stan.

You earned it.

[Demeter]

11. Somebody Got Into the Poppy Juice

But the General in detox.

[undeterred]

12. McChrystal's going to get another star.

[msongs]

15. in most jobs 8 years of failure would get one fired, but not the military nt

[Dennis Donovan]

17. Such delusions - and this guy's in charge?

:crazy:

[inna]

18. OMG. Barack, please get rid of this piece of lying shit. nt

[inna]

19. dupe

[Lint Head]

20. I think the word DELUSIONAL is appropriate here.

[formercia]

21. We don't have any enemies

They're all dead or about to be.

[NNN0LHI]

22. Wonder if we had armed to the teeth Afghans standing on our street corners if this idiot ...

... would think we were occupied?

Don