They do not want a large increase in troops and I have to agree with their reasoning. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the United States must fully share its plans for Afghanistan with Pakistan so that it can contribute to them. He warned of our closing posts near the border and I agree we should increase our presence there.Pakistan demands US share Afghan blueprint
'US drone' targets Pakistan hideout 8 more militants killed! I understand Obama has greatly increased drone attacks. I abhor any civilian deaths or injuries but I do think the drone attacks should be increased along with use for observation. The drones are a way for us to help on the Pakistan side of the border without putting boots on the ground. I have to say, Pakistan and both sides of the border should be our priority now.
As you know, I agree with the Afghan citizens interviewed and with Pakistan that we should put Karzai to the test and concentrate our efforts on securing the Afghanistan Pakistan border to contain militants in Pakistan so Pakistan can eradicate them if possible and keep them from migrating into Afghanistan to complicate our efforts. Border security is key to the success of both Pakistan and Afghanistan and should be a prime concern and the effort of Afghan forces can be spent training up and killing the militants that are already in country!
I happen to like the new “5th option” The final option on the table, dubbed the "hybrid" option, would involve a surge of around 20,000 troops to reinforce major population areas coupled with a renewed counter-terrorist effort against al-Qaeda and Taliban targets in lawless tribal areas along the border with Pakistan.
Bingo! Exactly what we have been saying and then we should get the hell out and see if Karzai is as spineless and corrupt as some of us think before we have another Saigon and join Afghanistan’s graveyard of Nations!
The 5th option is the right option and I bet Obama will go with that and then start the slow withdrawal and see what Karzai and Afghanistan do with their opportunity, I hope they fight like Pakistan is. The letters from Ambassador Eikenberry set this in motion and I am psyched! Pay attention to Biden, pay attention to Max Cleland!
Adding more troops will only embolden the Taliban, make them happy, and make things much worse for us! Karzai better quickly get things together and cooperate, the writing is on the wall.
We keep saying we better learn from Vietnam or we are going to have another Saigon! Get the hell out of there. We have lost enough good soldiers fighting for Karzai’s corrupt Government! Obama wants to hear the advice to down size and withdraw and he has it! He has an exit strategy and I can’t wait to hear it
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com
16 comments:
Hi Jim,
left my comment with you under yesterday's post.
What happened? did you mix up pics and text?
I hope, everything is alright with you, I guess lots might be going on where you are as well...
How is the youngest one? Doing alright?
Anyway, this post makes it very, very obvious, how much you want him out of there! keep my fingers crossed for you!
Hi Sarah
Long time no hear! Nothing is wrong that I am aware of. I will check yesterday's post.
Tom is in Kuwait right now training up and will be in Iraq on the first and Joe just got back today from Dubai doing an airshow and delivering a blackhawk to Egypt and then one in Corpus Christi Texas.
Well, my thoughts are with you and Tom!
Hope. you didn't get a shock from visiting JihadGene. Take it (him!) the humorous way!!!
But I guess he probably would have voted for Bush...! However, it's quite interesting when you see though him and all his jokes, he basically wants the same things that you and Demeur and so many others here want. Yet he goes about it in a completely different way...
Makes you think why are we talking at all, when all that comes out of our mouths doesn't really a 100% reflect what we really mean?!
How many conflicts do simply arise from misduplication, when really all parts could in fact agree, if they only took greater care to communicate more precisely!
Didn't know Joe flew choppers...
Did he take part in the air show?
Do they use him often as a taxi pilot?
Just checked through your old articles...
Don't quite get the ranking system of the corrupt countries.
The fact that Denmark is second on the list does that make the country one of the most or least corrupt ones?
Hi Sarah! I was there and I thought it was interesting having gone down to Veterans Day but I did not comment!
Joe does not fly a Blackhawk, they were delivering them. They went to Dubai to take part in an air show Joe said lasted 5 days.
His c17 was part of the air show but he said those interviewing crossed the line and OSI confiscated everything.
That is good Sarah! 1 is the best and 180 is the worst! Afghanistan is 179 and Iraq is not that good either. So much for Bush's corrupt Democratization program!
But they still performed, didn't they?
yep, I also thought, his Veteran's Day's post was interesting - and truthful.
Jim here's another link for you and this is a friend of mine who is a really, really nice guy and when you see his blog, you will find that you both have lots in common:
http://www.americaforpurchase.com/
So gotta run now, still lots to do, before the guys come home...
Hi Sarah
Whether you mean Denmark or Joe the answer is yes! I like your friend already just from the title. Thanks for the link!
I meant Joe and his crew.
Just checked out the C-17 and realized that the C-74 was used during the air lift. Thought it looked familiar!
just how heavy is the air craft? looks pretty solid to me, especially with the jet engines so close to the fuselage, it really looks like a working horse, that can lift/transport quite something!
but the other information seems confusing, on one hand it seems that they can have 5 choppers on board, but then again not much more than a 100 troops... doesn't really add up...
re texas-cowboy - the link you liked the name of... and you have quite a lot in common.
his son is also in the middle east, but due to return soon, I think, and he actually did make it to Nam, but don't talk about that with him... But when you see the posts he brings, you will find a lot of agreement...
I have to laugh! Joe thinks the c17 is the best thing since sliced toast. We talk quite a bit about payloads but I don't remember off the top of my head. He is now qualified to do air drops and clandestine missions but he can't say anything or he'll have to kill me. Ha!
He tells me about some of the things he carries including payload but I really think that should be secret. I have to help the wife for a minute be right back!
That is good! should keep him alive!!! a pilot should always have ultimate affinity for his aircraft and consider it an extension of his body. No, don't tell me anything that shouldn't be public. It really pisses me off how sloppy Starbuck and others are when it comes to security. that's really a thing one doesn't do!!!
however the aircraft looks pretty compact, only a little more than 51 meters long, wingspan about the same and a little less than 17 meters tall, so it's definitely meant to carry heavy equipment.
and they will have a competent loady(s) on board that know how to secure stuff properly. (You should really see how they sometimes load the ferries here - makes you really wonder how they manage to close the back port at all...! also those fookers don't seem to give the distribution of weight any thought at all...)
but tell me this: how about the lengths of the runway and being out there in the middle east... do they have to rev it up like hell, with the breaks on to get it airborne?
Can it land almost anywhere like a Hercules?
Hi Sarah
I am like you! There is no way I would divulge anything nor would Joe! When I was around nuked in the military we had training every week and I took "loose lips sink ships" to heart!
It lands in a small place like a c130, I was impressed watching them take off. They just rise effortlessly.
He is also a jump master and he likes that especially that he gets to stay in. He is not a crazy like his older brother.
You can not take any chances with cargo that can shift and weighs up to 100 tons. It can bring a plane right don.
The load master is actually in charge of the plane and it goes or flies on their word plus he loves the camaraderie with all the fliers and the special treatment.
Yes, lets get the hell outa there!
get you on the short take-off. but how about an "improvised runway" like a gravel-strip, let's say an afghan valley, loose pebbles, stones... the Herc can handle that, but how about the c17?
I believe it looks as if it rises effortlessly, but I'm quite sure, it's not that easy on a short runway and due to special training routine and knowing just how the aircraft does respond.
Yeah, I also never get why so many people think it's okay to mess with cargo. Of course the aircraft can go down quite easily! Or watch some people packing supplies... really scary! Some of those kids must really think that there are unlimited fuel resources and don't seem to give a damn just how that load is supposed to get strapped down and secured...
Understand why Joe would love the camaraderie! Who wouldn't?
okay it's late here, I've just finished up for tonight, the others are already in bed and now it's Mark's and my turn. In a few hours David will already be up again...
see ya tomorrow!
Amen on that Karen! Obama intends to finish the job Bush ignored. We will find out what that means in a week!
Hi Sarah
Don't see anything from Brother but anyway I was amazed having been around c5's to see how little runway c17's require. They just seem to rise without much noise or forward momentum.
I will ask Joe about dirt runways but I would expect they could if it was in good condition.
Joe's motivation for going with the c17 was they pretty much stayed out of the hot areas as they are for the big loads and the long hauls!
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