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Trump to announce new strategy — and probably more troops — for Afghanistan

Rogue Valley

Rogue Valley

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Trump to announce new strategy — and probably more troops — for Afghanistan

W.J. Hennigan
August 20, 2017

President Trump has settled on a new military strategy in Afghanistan after months of bitter internal debates by his national security team and will announce a plan Monday expected to provide U.S. commanders with additional troops and broader authority to pursue militant forces. Trump is expected to authorize about 4,000 more U.S. troops for counter-terrorism missions, as well as U.S. advisors to work closer to the front lines with Afghan military officers in America’s longest war. The new forces will join the 8,400 U.S. and 5,000 North Atlantic Treaty Organization troops who now train and advise Afghan security forces as they seek to quell a resurgent Taliban, Islamic State militants and other militias that have plunged the war-torn nation into deeper chaos over the last year.

Adding more U.S. forces would reverse President Obama’s decision last year to withdraw 1,400 troops. Obama declared an end to U.S. combat in Afghanistan in 2014. The new Trump strategy also aims to pressure Pakistan, a nominal U.S. ally, to take greater measures to crack down on Taliban insurgents and other militant groups that launch cross-border raids into Afghanistan. Whether the strategy will restore stability is far from clear. Despite a variety of American initiatives, the Taliban holds sway over rural areas and controls more territory now than at any time since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 toppled the group from power, according to U.N. estimates. In a statement, the White House said Trump would address the nation at 9 p.m. EDT Monday from Ft. Myer, outside Washington, instead of the White House or the New Jersey golf resort where he has spent most of the month.
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It will be interesting to hear Trumps "new military strategy" for Afghanistan. Adding more troops in and of itself is not a "new strategy". Also bothersome [to me] is any increased US dependence on the government of Pakistan. Islamabad is only too happy to accept billions in American funding while its S-Wing of the ISI security service arms and assists the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kashmir.
 
Rogue Valley said:
Trump to announce new strategy — and probably more troops — for Afghanistan


It will be interesting to hear Trumps "new military strategy" for Afghanistan. Adding more troops in and of itself is not a "new strategy". Also bothersome [to me] is any increased US dependence on the government of Pakistan. Islamabad is only too happy to accept billions in American funding while its S-Wing of the ISI security service arms and assists the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kashmir.
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Well, whatever his new strategy is, of one thing we can be sure: the Left won't like it.

"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Yet here we are.
 
How ironic is it that Trump is cutting funding from American programs so he can take more of our money and give it to a bunch of foreign Muslims? Cue his base to turn 180 and tell us why all that money is better spent on the foreign brown folk than Americans.

MaggieD said:
Well, whatever his new strategy is, of one thing we can be sure: the Left won't like it.

"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Yet here we are.
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Considering most Americans oppose continuing the Afghan war, including his base up until 5 minutes ago, I'd say almost nobody is going to like it.
 
Rogue Valley said:
It will be interesting to hear Trumps "new military strategy" for Afghanistan.
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Rumor has it that he gained this new strategy from playing a game of Risk whilst on vacation. Gonna roll some dice and see if it lands on "bomb them", "pull out and **** em" or "Send more troops with no real mission".
 
roughdraft274 said:
Rumor has it that he gained this new strategy from playing a game of Risk whilst on vacation. Gonna roll some dice and see if it lands on "bomb them", "pull out and **** em" or "Send more troops with no real mission".
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What 5th grader told you that humdinger?
 
MaggieD said:
Well, whatever his new strategy is, of one thing we can be sure: the Left won't like it.
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no, you don't know that
if tRump defines what our nation's objectives are relative to the way afghanistan is ultimately left by us
and if his strategy is expected to accomplish those stated objectives
i will gladly applaud his approach

however, if no defined strategic objective is identified
then any strategic approach will get us to nowhere

"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Yet here we are.
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please point to the significant groups that are preparing to secede, such that out national house again becomes divided

hopefully, you were not appropriating that adage to disclaim any criticism of the government by the governed ... as citizens, we have an obligation - something well beyond a right - to so point out misadministration by our elected officials
 
justabubba said:
no, you don't know that
if tRump defines what our nation's objectives are relative to the way afghanistan is ultimately left by us
and if his strategy is expected to accomplish those stated objectives
i will gladly applaud his approach

however, if no defined strategic objective is identified
then any strategic approach will get us to nowhere


please point to the significant groups that are preparing to secede, such that out national house again becomes divided

hopefully, you were not appropriating that adage to disclaim any criticism of the government by the governed ... as citizens, we have an obligation - something well beyond a right - to so point out misadministration by our elected officials
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I agree with much of what you posted. I would also add that the objective is obvious -- to do better than we've doing to stabilize the country and get the hell out of there.

As to my house divided quote, in my lifetime, 140 years, I've never seen such rancor on both sides of our major parties nor have I seen a press more relentless. The popularity of infotainment is very much responsible for this divide. The sudden rise of Antifa and BLM and many of their tactics does little, if anything, to help bring our country together. The KKK and neoNazis have long been our lunatic fringe. 99.9999% of the people in this country generally ignore them and call them out as resident kooks. The rise of these other two groups to oppose them may, imo, put them into the same category.
 
I wise Man once said; there is no Military Solution for The Middle East, only Diplomatic.

... it sure didn't take Russia too many years to find that out.
 
Rogue Valley said:
Trump to announce new strategy — and probably more troops — for Afghanistan



It will be interesting to hear Trumps "new military strategy" for Afghanistan. Adding more troops in and of itself is not a "new strategy". Also bothersome [to me] is any increased US dependence on the government of Pakistan. Islamabad is only too happy to accept billions in American funding while its S-Wing of the ISI security service arms and assists the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kashmir.
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US military involvement in Afghanistan has IMO gone waaaaaaaaay beyond dumbassery but this does not at all surprise me; that is 'our' government at work, or play .............
 
roughdraft274 said:
Rumor has it that he gained this new strategy from playing a game of Risk whilst on vacation. Gonna roll some dice and see if it lands on "bomb them", "pull out and **** em" or "Send more troops with no real mission".
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If so it would be huge improvement over the last administrations ME policy.

Obama backs a radical fringe Islamic element in Egypt, then pulls all US forces out Iraq and never looks back as ISIS runs roughshod through once liberated Iraqi towns.

He commited US forces to take down Qaddafi in Lybia and then did nothing as Lybi descended into a jihadist hotspot.

He then blamed Lybia on our NATO partners

He called for Israel to retreat to their 1967 borders.

He also drew a red line in Syria , did nothing to stop the flow of ISIS out of Syria and did nothing as that Nation descended into civil war.

Oh, and he flew 400 million dollars to Switzerland so it could be laundered and then flown to Iran, the worlds leading State sponsor of terror

What was Obama's ME policy anyway ? What was his administrations objective ?
 
Rogue Valley said:
Trump to announce new strategy — and probably more troops — for Afghanistan



It will be interesting to hear Trumps "new military strategy" for Afghanistan. Adding more troops in and of itself is not a "new strategy". Also bothersome [to me] is any increased US dependence on the government of Pakistan. Islamabad is only too happy to accept billions in American funding while its S-Wing of the ISI security service arms and assists the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kashmir.
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And I thought he was actually a democrat. Go figure.
 
MaggieD said:
I agree with much of what you posted. I would also add that the objective is obvious -- to do better than we've doing to stabilize the country and get the hell out of there.

As to my house divided quote, in my lifetime, 140 years, I've never seen such rancor on both sides of our major parties nor have I seen a press more relentless. The popularity of infotainment is very much responsible for this divide. The sudden rise of Antifa and BLM and many of their tactics does little, if anything, to help bring our country together. The KKK and neoNazis have long been our lunatic fringe. 99.9999% of the people in this country generally ignore them and call them out as resident kooks. The rise of these other two groups to oppose them may, imo, put them into the same category.
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Trump resently did the same thing you did above; equating the KKK & Nazis with Antifa & BLM.

that equivocation fails on every level; Trump finally got it, after it was too late

As I stated in another thread if you don't get it by now you will never get it & no amount of asking others to explain something that is so obvious to the majority, would help you understand it whatsoever
 
It's a new strategy: Send in more troops. When that doesn't work, send in more yet. It worked in Vietnam, didn't it?
 
MaggieD said:
I agree with much of what you posted. I would also add that the objective is obvious -- to do better than we've doing to stabilize the country and get the hell out of there.

As to my house divided quote, in my lifetime, 140 years, I've never seen such rancor on both sides of our major parties nor have I seen a press more relentless. The popularity of infotainment is very much responsible for this divide. The sudden rise of Antifa and BLM and many of their tactics does little, if anything, to help bring our country together. The KKK and neoNazis have long been our lunatic fringe. 99.9999% of the people in this country generally ignore them and call them out as resident kooks. The rise of these other two groups to oppose them may, imo, put them into the same category.
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I was not alive during the time, but I expect the mid to late 60s were more divisive than today

Race riots, Mass anti war protest, the fall out from JFK's assassination, Kent State Shooting, various bombings and murders by the KKK which did not get "solved" until the late 90s.

One thing I believe is that most people believe now is always the worst, except when they are old and telling the youngins on how much worse it was when they were young and had to go to school bare foot in 12 inches of snow, up hill both ways
 
Lord Tammerlain said:
I was not alive during the time, but I expect the mid to late 60s were more divisive than today

Race riots, Mass anti war protest, the fall out from JFK's assassination, Kent State Shooting, various bombings and murders by the KKK which did not get "solved" until the late 90s.

One thing I believe is that most people believe now is always the worst, except when they are old and telling the youngins on how much worse it was when they were young and had to go to school bare foot in 12 inches of snow, up hill both ways
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I turned 25 back in '67.
I'd love to be 25 again, but wouldn't want to see the country divided again like it was back then.

You're right on both counts.
 
Let’s get out of Afghanistan. Our troops are being killed by the Afghanis we train and we waste billions there. Nonsense! Rebuild the USA.

I agree with Pres. Obama on Afghanistan. We should have a speedy withdrawal. Why should we keep wasting our money -- rebuild the U.S.!

We have wasted an enormous amount of blood and treasure in Afghanistan. Their government has zero appreciation. Let's get out!
 
Khayembii Communique said:
Let’s get out of Afghanistan. Our troops are being killed by the Afghanis we train and we waste billions there. Nonsense! Rebuild the USA.

I agree with Pres. Obama on Afghanistan. We should have a speedy withdrawal. Why should we keep wasting our money -- rebuild the U.S.!

We have wasted an enormous amount of blood and treasure in Afghanistan. Their government has zero appreciation. Let's get out!
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The most effective historical way of dealing with the Afghanistan region from an empire point of view

Find a local who has a power base, help them become a leader, provide a large leeway in how domestic matters are handled. With the expectation that anything that is done against the empire from that region and that leader will be held responsible. Provide said leader with material support and intel, but keep your soldiers and people in general out of the region except for short short stays.
 
MaggieD said:
Well, whatever his new strategy is, of one thing we can be sure: the Left won't like it.

"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Yet here we are.
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You supported everything Obama did, I imagine, because you wouldn't have wanted to divide America.
 
Afghanistan is a vast area where dust, corruption, poverty, Pashtunwali, Islam, tribes, warlords, and opium rule.

As of yet, no one has discovered a lasting formula to pacify this fragmented and archaic hellhole.
 
Deuce said:
You supported everything Obama did, I imagine, because you wouldn't have wanted to divide America.
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I had my complaints about Obama. But Obamacare sure wasn't one of them. I was a staunch defender. Having been an entrepreneur all of my life, I understood better than most that massive change was needed... especially that pre-existing conditions part. I see now that without massive reform again, it isn't the answer. But that's a subject for another thread.

I resented that he didn't call out Muslim terrorists for what they were. Criticized him heavily for sometimes seemingly discounting the cops and thus being responsible for groups like BLM. Hated when he drew red lines and didn't back them up. So, yeah, I criticized him.

But I didn't insinuate his supporters were traitors or unAmerican or idiots. And I didn't call him big ears or talk about his wife's fashion sense. Or support the birther nonsense. Or call him a scum bag or a ****ing idiot.

One doesn't have to agree with the POTUS and can certainly criticize him. But what's happening right now is over the top.
 
Have we actually brought real stability to the region? I am highly skeptical.

Are we supposed to keep our military there forever in order to preserve a false sense of peace if the governments themselves can't do it?

Tribalism in the Middle East is very real.
 
MaggieD said:
Well, whatever his new strategy is, of one thing we can be sure: the Left won't like it.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Yet here we are.
Click to expand...

Trump squandered his reputation and trust, within weeks of becoming president (if not before). I think it's common wisdom that those can take a lifetime to build, and moments to destroy. Such is life.

But putting that aside, we have Trump's own words just a few years ago as he railed against Obama:
"We have wasted an enormous amount of blood and treasure in Afghanistan," Trump wrote in the 2013 tweet, just one of many such broadsides. In an earlier interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, Trump insisted that "money should be spent in our country, we should rebuild our country. ... Let’s get with it, get out of Afghanistan.”
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"...get out of Afghanistan."

So when he comes out today and says he will not be getting us out of Afghanistan, he looks like the liar we all know and love. He was just creating controversy, like most right wing controversy peddlers, to hurt Obama and to gain political support for himself. Do you blame me for not liking that?
 
Mach said:
Trump squandered his reputation and trust, within weeks of becoming president (if not before). I think it's common wisdom that those can take a lifetime to build, and moments to destroy. Such is life.

But putting that aside, we have Trump's own words just a few years ago as he railed against Obama:


"...get out of Afghanistan."

So when he comes out today and says he will not be getting us out of Afghanistan, he looks like the liar we all know and love. He was just creating controversy, like most right wing controversy peddlers, to hurt Obama and to gain political support for himself. Do you blame me for not liking that?
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some times the truth is a real bitch .............
 
Rogue Valley said:
Trump to announce new strategy — and probably more troops — for Afghanistan



It will be interesting to hear Trumps "new military strategy" for Afghanistan. Adding more troops in and of itself is not a "new strategy". Also bothersome [to me] is any increased US dependence on the government of Pakistan. Islamabad is only too happy to accept billions in American funding while its S-Wing of the ISI security service arms and assists the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kashmir.
Click to expand...

"We have wasted an enormous amount of blood and treasure in Afghanistan. Their government has zero appreciation. Let's get out!"

~Donald Trump, 21 Nov 2013
 
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