National Journal Blog - 7 February, 2012

Col. W. Patrick Lang Responds to Should the U.S. End the Combat Mission in Afghanistan in 2013??.

pl

Comments

[William R. Cumming]

So will the US be admitting either Iraqis or Afghanis in large numbers who helped the US during its efforts in those countries?
Over 5 million Iraqis have permanently departed Iraq since 2003 and wondering how many Afghans?

[Rd.]

Should the U.S. End the Combat Mission in Afghanistan

Seems like more and more are coming to realize war war is not as a good an option. Why not considering some jaw-jaw for once?

Here is a great opportunity to turn this into some positive for every one. Why not work with the regional countries to formulate a security arrangement for Afghanistan?

Here is an opportunity to work with India, Pakistan and Iran, among others.

With India, to further develop relationship.

With Pakistan to try and resolve the differences, much better than drone bombings. Further, making both Pakistan and India stake holders in the Afghan game has the potential to bring both those nuclear states, who have been at odds, closer to each other. Is that not worth creating a security structure for all?

It is also an opportunity to work with Iran to build confidence. Iranians worked with US at the onset of Afghanistan operations. Unfortunately, one of those what you call.... the xxxx firsters coined the axis of evil and poured cold water on any hope of reconciliation and further cooperation with Iran.

There is also an opportunity to re-orient Saudi from their anti revolutionary approach to more of a constructive role. As there are “some” suggestions that PERHAPS some senior Saudi officials feel that they share the security of the region with Iran and they need to work together as an alternative to war which would be destabilizing for every one.

Here is a golden opportunity to create some positive results for the region as well as creating some friends for a change. Or you would rather Russian and Chinese to cash in on that?

Is my gun bigger than yours, the best the men and women of the State Department can offer?

Are they all void of any intelligent thinking, debating, discussing. negotiating except dispatching military force?

[walrus]

Col. Lang is talking common sense.

Get out before they throw you out.

[DFS]

"Underneath a starry flag, we'll civilize them with a Krag..."

A brutish and stupid notion 112 years ago, and it has not improved with age.

[FB Ali]

The two comments from faculty members at the National War College and the US Army War College perhaps explain why there is an almost total divorce from reality in US policy-making circles. The panaceas they so solemnly propose have nothing to do with the actual situation on the ground in Afghanistan and the region.

That situation is much worse than what Lt Col Davis portrayed in his article (perhaps he was able to be more candid in his classified briefs).

[turcopolier]

FB Ali

Yes I shuld have included SESs and War College professors in my list of bootlickers who get ahead by telling the boss what he wats to hear. pl

[William R. Cumming]

Does it seem to some other than me on this blog that Syria is the next intervention by the USA?

[Charles I]

Blowing a hole in the Assad regime is a direct attack on Iranian power projection and resupply of its proxies prior to any actual attack on Iran. Suits everybody. It'll be especially great if the U.S. doesn't have to overtly attend to this chore. Judging by the number of cheerleaders and bandwagoneers lining up its a go.

[Mike C]

I see Carafano commented. I guess I'm supposed to go hide under my bed and pray to the neocons to protect me. Such a scary world!

[Rd.]

Charles I said...

a direct attack on Iranian power projection

According to Iranian site Tabnak, in reply to Turkey’s request( apparently Turkey has confirmed 49 officers are being held by Syrian army) Syria has set 3 conditions to release 49 Turkish inelegant officers currently captured by Syria

Iranian engineers kidnapped in Syria released
http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1530729

and from Today’s Zaman;

“Still, the two countries work to stay cordial. This week, Iran said 11 Iranian pilgrims abducted in Syria had been freed with the help of “friendly and influential” countries, and Turkey confirmed it had secured their release through contacts. “

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-271010-turkey-and-iran-diverge-over-syria.html

"attack on power projectio" We are not there yet. You also have to observe how all the hollywood hype and noise thru the MSM and certain political quarters vs the quiet Iranian diplomacy.

[Sidney O. Smith III]

Hastings’ book, the Operators, is fascinating. Sure would like to know what those whose vocational calling was/is the military think about this book. By vocational calling I mean people like Col. Lang, TTG, J most definitely, Neil Richardson (conventional warfare and just as important) and others.

While we are at it: after reading some national journal posts, I am wondering about the influence of the “war college”. Seems to me that those who teach at the war college should know something about the experience of war. But it looks like the opposite happens: those who teach at the war college convince themselves that they know something about war when they don’t know diddle. Makes no sense to me. I would think that one would attend the “war college” to learn about war, including the horror of it all. Something is greatly amiss, imo.

[Charles I]

Mighty quiet diplomacy going on in Aleppo.

[Charles I]

Hi Sidney.

Those that can, do, etc. etc.

[Charles I]

I'm thinking about analysis I read, sorry might have been Gareth Porter can't find it, about Iran's support for Hamas and Hezbollah.

Reports of vicarious Syrian business being played out in Tripoli:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16997656

[Charles I]

Pepe Escobar on point:

The return of the Keyboard Warriors
By Pepe Escobar

Waiting for the end of the world,
Waiting for the end of the world,
Waiting for the end of the world.
Dear Lord, I sincerely hope you're coming
‘cause you really started something.
Elvis Costello, Waiting for the end of the world

Be afraid. Be very afraid. The Return of the Keyboard Warriors - a prized Return of the Living Dead spin-off - is at hand. From Republican chicken hawks to public intellectuals, right-wing America is erupting in renewed neo-conservative revolt. The year 2012 is the new 2002; Iran is the new Iraq. Whatever the highway - real men go to Tehran via Damascus, or real men go to Tehran non-stop - they want a war, and they want it now.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/NB11Ak02.html