DougC wrote:2014.

We may get out earlier if Gingrich is elected. He's starting to talk publicly about what everyone should know privately: the Afghanistan mission is not achievable.

Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich says he thinks U.S. involvement in the region around Afghanistan may be risking the lives of young troops in a mission that "may not be doable."

http://www.mercurynews.com/presidentele ... le-mission

Warren Dew wrote:

DougC wrote:2014.

We may get out earlier if Gingrich is elected. He's starting to talk publicly about what everyone should know privately: the Afghanistan mission is not achievable.

Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich says he thinks U.S. involvement in the region around Afghanistan may be risking the lives of young troops in a mission that "may not be doable."

http://www.mercurynews.com/presidentele ... le-mission

Yeah but.....You'll have Gingrich as president.

Paul G wrote:

Warren Dew wrote:

DougC wrote:2014.

We may get out earlier if Gingrich is elected. He's starting to talk publicly about what everyone should know privately: the Afghanistan mission is not achievable.

Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich says he thinks U.S. involvement in the region around Afghanistan may be risking the lives of young troops in a mission that "may not be doable."

http://www.mercurynews.com/presidentele ... le-mission

Yeah but.....You'll have Gingrich as president.

Too be honest, I'd rather have Gingrich than Romney, Paul or....Santorum.

Then again, I'd rather have Obama over Gingrich.

With the US economy seemingly brighter, the Republicans are starting to realize that they’re losing out to Obama in the battle for popular support: simply bashing him with it or blocking his proposals isn’t enough anymore to kick him out of office.

Which means that Romney and Santorum will be forced to alter their economic focus, although latter’s detours into social issues may well pay dividends with many voters (at the risk of future backlash).

Speaking of detours . . .

My perspective.

The work is stressful. The Pentagon knows full well such work can lead to a mental breakdown, but even Army medics can’t say who that one person will be if any that tour or what might happen when they snap.

I’ve had a burnout. Nine years of accumulated pressure, fine one moment, gibbering out of sight in a closed room the next, six years on and still having mental issues after effects.

The man snapped, I feel sorry for him because he literally became someone else when he killed civilians and if he recovers, he might remember what happened like a bad dream where you see what happened but it can’t be you doing what you did, as I do.

What happens next, well no change in the military style and pressure, the job goes on. Legally I suppose that comes down to politics. Under whose jurisdiction is he, Military or Afgan law? Not good either way for him no?

Globe wrote:And I don't think anyone here blame the INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER.

Everyone should be blaming the individual soldier or soldiers who did it.

Globe wrote:Not that it makes it right, and not that the guy shouldn't be allowed to spend the remainder of his life in a facility where he can't hurt anyone else.

If the stories are right, the guy should be executed, not just because he's a murderer, but because he endangered the lives of his fellow soldiers by helping turn the civilians against them - and his execution would help alleviate that harm.

sandinista wrote:Not only the training and weapons, but the view of those being occupied as somehow non-human or sub human. This is what happens when you invade and occupy a country.

More accurately, that is what happens when the troops are not on an achievable mission to help the local population.

A legit war crime to use as propaganda. The Taliban must be high fiving each other.

You’d have to wonder too at how many more will now die in retaliation.

Following on the heels of the Koran burning, it also again plays right into the hands of the Taliban, other than how the Afghanis fiercely resent the presence of all foreigners.

Altogether a terrible and futile waste of lives.

This is a tough one. As much as I deplore killing I have to ask : As far as the Islamic religion goes.....What's worse, American soldiers burning Qurans or killing civilians?

Warren Dew wrote:We may get out earlier if Gingrich is elected. He's starting to talk publicly about what everyone should know privately: the Afghanistan mission is not achievable.

I think by this time everyone knows that publicly. Anyone who doesn't simply does not follow anything related to the middle east. Gingrich or Obama or whoever, I still highly doubt that the US will leave Afghanistan at all. Will be interesting to see if they close up all the bases and pull out all military and contract personal. I wouldn't count on it.

willhud9 wrote:Too be honest, I'd rather have Gingrich than Romney, Paul or....Santorum.

Then again, I'd rather have Obama over Gingrich.

all the same shit, just slightly varied levels of crazy.

Peter Brown wrote:The man snapped, I feel sorry for him because he literally became someone else when he killed civilians

I don't feel sorry for him at all, just his victims. Fuck him.

Warren Dew wrote:If the stories are right, the guy should be executed

I'm not for capital punishment, but he should definitely be put in jail for the rest of his life.

Warren Dew wrote:More accurately, that is what happens when the troops are not on an achievable mission to help the local population.

Which is generally the case in an invasion and occupation, as I stated earlier.

Rome Existed wrote:A legit war crime to use as propaganda. The Taliban must be high fiving each other.

In much the same way as those US corporations who profit from war were high fiving each other after 9/11.

Rick wrote:Following on the heels of the Koran burning, it also again plays right into the hands of the Taliban, other than how the Afghanis fiercely resent the presence of all foreigners.

I think, more accurately, they resent foreign military presence in their land. The same as any country anywhere. I'm sure US citizens wouldn't be too pleased about Afghan bases, tanks, and air forces on US soil, not to mention having to pass through Afghan checkpoints to get around US cities and being put in Afghan run detention centers and having Afghan military forces break into your home at will.

sandinista wrote:I think, more accurately, they resent foreign military presence in their land. The same as any country anywhere. I'm sure US citizens wouldn't be too pleased about Afghan bases, tanks, and air forces on US soil, not to mention having to pass through Afghan checkpoints to get around US cities and being put in Afghan run detention centers and having Afghan military forces break into your home at will.

You sound like Ron Paul.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49sr8TWY424[/youtube]

Not that I disagree, mind.

It's not like Ron Paul has been the only one to point that out. It's a pretty simple, easy to understand concept.

I wonder, how credible are the claims there was more than one soldier in the village?
Is there a chance this guy will get the death penalty?
He just walked off the base, and no one batted an eyelid? Is that usual/unusual?
If he just snapped, were there any warning signs?

I don't feel sorry for him at all, just his victims. Fuck him.

They're dead so no longer need any sorrow. So the issue now has become about people who now think themselves morally superior to others and dishing out what they call justice.

It's sad but it's to be expected. This is a warzone and they are only human after all. I think it's to our credit that this doesn't happen more frequently and that when it does happen it is dealt accordingly. (I'd say execution is not dealt with accordingly, for the record)

Peter Brown wrote:They're dead so no longer need any sorrow.

These people do have families you know.

Acetone wrote: I think it's to our credit that this doesn't happen more frequently

Probably happens more often than "we" hear about it.

Imagine one 'rogue' Afghan soldier sneaking in to America and doing this to 16 American citizens. I'm sure people will blame the individual as well.

Warren Dew wrote:

Globe wrote:And I don't think anyone here blame the INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER.

Everyone should be blaming the individual soldier or soldiers who did it.

Globe wrote:Not that it makes it right, and not that the guy shouldn't be allowed to spend the remainder of his life in a facility where he can't hurt anyone else.

If the stories are right, the guy should be executed, not just because he's a murderer, but because he endangered the lives of his fellow soldiers by helping turn the civilians against them - and his execution would help alleviate that harm.

So you are going to solve the problem with people getting killed.... by killing yet another person?
What do you think you are going to achieve by killing a little more and creating a little more grief?

Globe wrote:

Warren Dew wrote:

Globe wrote:And I don't think anyone here blame the INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER.

Everyone should be blaming the individual soldier or soldiers who did it.

Globe wrote:Not that it makes it right, and not that the guy shouldn't be allowed to spend the remainder of his life in a facility where he can't hurt anyone else.

If the stories are right, the guy should be executed, not just because he's a murderer, but because he endangered the lives of his fellow soldiers by helping turn the civilians against them - and his execution would help alleviate that harm.

So you are going to solve the problem with people getting killed.... by killing yet another person?
What do you think you are going to achieve by killing a little more and creating a little more grief?

Given the rampaging mobs after the Korans got burnt, I figure the Afghanis would appreciate the gesture.