Quagmire vs. Slog: "US presence in Afghanistan as long as Soviet slog"

[A-Schwarzenegger]

US presence in Afghanistan as long as Soviet slog

KABUL, Afghanistan – The Soviet Union couldn't win in Afghanistan, and now the United States is about to have something in common with that futile campaign: nine years, 50 days.

On Friday, the U.S.-led coalition will have been fighting in this South Asian country for as long as the Soviets did in their humbling attempt to build up a socialist state. The two invasions had different goals — and dramatically different body counts — but whether they have significantly different outcomes remains to be seen.

What started out as a quick war on Oct. 7, 2001, by the U.S. and its allies to wipe out al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and the Taliban has instead turned into a long and slogging campaign. Now about 100,000 NATO troops are fighting a burgeoning insurgency while trying to support and cultivate a nascent democracy.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101125/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan_milestone_of_war

[msongs]

1. our elected leaders are more stupid than their dictators lol nt

[Bigmack]

3. Damn...you got to the word "stupid" before I did. nt

[gratuitous]

2. And the fresh recruits going over there now?

Were 8 years old when this madness began.

[daleo]

4. The Soviet Union went broke faster, from the expense of futile war

But it comes to every country eventually.