U.S. Has Been In Afghanistan As Long As Soviet Russia

[unhappycamper]

FILE - In this 1987 file photo, mujahedeen guerrillas sit atop a captured Russian T-55 tank. The US military presence in Afghanistan has surpassed the Soviet occupation of the country. 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. The U.S.-led coalition has now been fighting for as long as the Soviets did, and while two invasions had different goals _ and dramatically different body cou (sic)


U.S. Has Been In Afghanistan As Long As Soviet Russia
PATRICK QUINN | 11/26/10 02:29 AM | AP

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.

A Pentagon-led assessment released earlier this week described the progress made since the United States injected 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan earlier this year as fragile.

The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus, has said NATO's core objective is to ensure that Afghanistan "is never again a sanctuary to al-Qaida or other transnational extremists that it was prior to 9/11."

[saigon68]

1. Betrayus= Altar Boy for corrupt Corporations

His big $$$$ Corporate job is waiting for him when he retires, after "greasing" a few thousand more wedding guests and old ladies

[ixion]

2. "What started out as a quick war "

Yeah, right.

Cakewalk, eh? Be there weeks or month, not years, right?

The plan was to established Pax Americana throughout the region, and that goal remains the same today.

[dipsydoodle]

3. With more or less equal lack of success.

.

[Major Hogwash]

4. Yeah, but we're winning.

So, don't get the idea we're going to quit anytime soon!

[Gravel Democrat]

5. puntapié y recomendamos

[WinkyDink]

6. And as successful!