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Waseem Naikzad / AFP - Getty Images
Afghan security force sit on top of a military vehicle in Laghman province Wednesday. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Tuesday he was very concerned about the rise in insider attacks on US and NATO troops, and the impact they are having on cooperation with Afghan allies.
News analysis
KABUL, Afghanistan – A group of U.S. Marines in Helmand province was invited to dinner by a local police commander and his men late last week. A little after midnight, under the dark Afghan sky, the Marines left the police compound and were shot in the back as they walked away. Three were killed.
Last week, seven Americans lost their lives after Afghans they were working with turned their weapons on them.
The military is now designating these incidents in which Afghan troops turn on coalition counterparts as "insider attacks," (they were once called "green-on-blue" incidents) to account for the non-security personnel also involved in the assaults.
Insider attacks are now at the highest level they have been since the start of the war.
Three US special ops troops killed, Afghan officials say
In 2007 and 2008 there were four such attacks and four deaths.
So far this year, there have already been 29 incidents in which Afghans turned their weapons on their coalition partners, killing 37. That’s compared with a total of 21 incidents, in which 35 were killed, in all of 2011.
The spike has startled many and brought calls to find the catalyst for the deadly problem.
Jose Cabezas / AFP - Getty Images
Members of the Afghan National Army are helped by a US soldier as they participate in a map reading training session at Narizah base in Narizah, Khost Province, on August 12, 2012.
Who or what is to blame?
One group that would seem like the obvious culprit is the Taliban. They have claimed to infiltrate the Afghan National Security Forces, consisting of both the military and police, to help kill NATO troops from the inside.
Last year, the group called on more Afghans in uniform to join their cause and turn their weapons on the “foreign invaders” because of their access and proximity.
NATO does not deny some of the attacks have been from Taliban insurgency infiltration – but they attribute the trend to more than that.
Seven American troops killed in Afghan chopper crash
“There was infiltration; that is correct, we can acknowledge that,” said Brig. Gen. Gunter Katz, spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force based in Kabul. However, he said most of the attacks could be blamed on more basic warfare issues.
“The main reasons for those green on blue incidents are personal grievances, stress situations and what we call battle fatigue,” Katz said.
Hoshang Hashimi / AP
More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts.
He attributes about 10 percent of the insider attacks to Taliban infiltration, and blames the remaining 90 percent on individual motives.
However, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta acknowledged the Taliban are somewhat to blame for the attack earlier this week.
“The reality is, the Taliban has not been able to regain any territory lost, so they’re resorting to these kinds of attacks to create havoc,” Panetta told reporters in a Pentagon briefing Tuesday, according to Stars and Stripes.
Panetta later said there is “no one source” responsible for the attacks, and that there are several reasons why Afghan forces would turn on coalition troops.
Cultural divide
A former commander of the Afghan Border Police, Gen. Aminullah Amarkhil, blames the attacks on a disrespect of the Afghan culture by foreign forces.
“The main reason for these attacks is that the foreign troops have on many occasions humiliated the Afghan culture and religion,” Amarkhil said. “They’ve entered Afghan homes without permission, killed innocent civilians, they’ve bombarded wedding parties, they’ve entered our mosques with dogs, burned the Holy Quran. All of these are the factors that have contributed to the Afghan army or police being infiltrated by people who have been humiliated by the foreign troops.”
The Afghan general admitted it is not just the fault of NATO, adding that the insider attacks are also because of the weakness in the Afghan National Security Forces’ recruitment system.
“We don’t have a proper procedure for recruitment in our army or police. There are people in the Afghan army who have come from Pakistan and have made Afghan identity cards, " said Amarkhil, explaining that loyalties can be divided.
Training on Afghan culture
Amarkhil believes more should be done to show respect for the Afghan culture and religion by the foreign forces. And ISAF says they are doing just that.
“We continue to improve this process further and further in order to teach our guys [about] ‘what is Afghan culture.’ What can be done, what must not be done,” Katz said. “We are very serious about that.”
In the meantime, ISAF has implemented force protection measures to help prevent more insider attacks. Katz would not elaborate on what those measures are.
“We permanently assess the environment our soldiers are working in and assess if the current force protection measures are still in accordance to our assessment. And if not, we change them.”
But Katz says that these incidents, although tragic, are isolated.
“We had a very bad week last week,” he says. But he believes for the most part there is trust between the Afghan and international forces.
“The more we fight together, the more we trust each other.”
NBC’s Fazl Ahad contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
Why are they doing this? Easy: We're occupying their country and have no plan.
You can only accidentally drop bombs on hospitals and shoot up wedding parties for so long before people get tired of it.
Look at Obama - he wanted to help and Republicans have been threatening to "take the country back" ever since he took office.
You always hate "the other"
They hate our freedom?
Obama only wanted to help what, exactly? He's real handy with those drone attacks, think thats what is helping? Obama is keeping us in Afghanistan and as to the attacks? Dear God, what a stupid headline. The military wants to train people who want to kill Americans, they give those 'trainees' guns and two or three American soldiers to shoot at, what could go wrong? The only flaw in the concept is the fact that Afghanistan is at war with the US and 'training' those who want to kill Americans is an asinine concept created by some braindead bureacrat who will never, ever face the wrong end of a rifle.
They hate that we are not muslims of whichever sect that happens to be in power at the time. But what can you expect of a people who venerate a pedophile as a prophet?
The catalyst??????
Let me take a stab at what the catalyst might be: Maybe the Afghans are getting fed up with Washington's pinheaded aspirations of making their country our fifty first state. Wild guess.
Its called Occupation, its not that complicated.
Absolutly right. US forces kicking down doors, drones killing civilians, why would they turn on our troops. Our gov't is a bunch of morons and they are getting our brave men and women killed in the process. War is a bunch of rich old men sending off middle class and the poor off to protect their stuff. The elite suck!!!!
Another Deadbeat Texan,
"Whoa, lay off the Kool-aid!!"
Yes, exactly! I think that is what this article meant when it referred to the "cultural divide" being part of the problem. You see that negative attitude toward Muslims in so many of the posts on Newsvine, and unfortunately, only too many of our soldiers reflect the same attitude, and that is what helps get them killed by the Afghans. Needless to say, the Afghans don't appreciate such a contemptuous attitude toward them. Who would?
Steve-2570999
You would think so, but then again that's what the Taliban has been doing - intentionally - for decades ... looks like they're not tired of it enough yet.
They hate our guts. Bring all the troops home ASAP.
They ate my freedom! Islamo-Fascists must die!
It looks like they forgot how they were treated by the Taliban before we invaded. Ah but we have the same problem in this country where the Republicans made a complete mess of the economy with tax cuts that benefited the wealthy and spending like drunken sailors on a needless Iraq war yet we have some that seem to have forgotten what those people did and are thinking about voting for them again. The Republicans even go so far as to try blaming Obama for the high unemployment rate even though it was spiraling out of site under Bush and the economy that had already hit rock bottom when Obama took over yet some of the people can't remember how it was under Bush. Go figure.
Quite simply, they want us to GTFO!
Not to worry, after Mitt gets in we will be at war with the entire Muslim world, about a billion, but hey what is another Crusades. Oh ya China and Russia, WW3. Well that is what the Tea bagers want. Notice they won't talk about foreign policy matters?
Rule of Nines
We are already giving $5 billion per year to the afghan army.
Indigo-Rage, Who do you mean? The fundamentalist MORMON Warren Jeffs?
Another Deadbeat Texan, actually Washington was a not a terrorist as he followed the rules of war at the time. But technically since he was a British citizen who fought with the British army in a earlier war he was a traitor in their eyes, Then there is that whole slave owning thing. He got lucky that the British also tried to follow the rules of war and did not destroy his plantations. Since he was the richest man in North America at the time they could have left him slaveless,with a burned out plantation system and his wife and family in chains. In America the Revolution is a big deal, in Britian not so much. Especially at the time of the war. They considered it a backwater operation in the wars with France. Same thing with the War of 1812.
To them we are infidels plain and simple. We have armed them and tried to show them democracy. It did not work. For people on this forum to think that Our troops deserve what they got and be shot in the back is disgusting.
@ Dead beat Texan the answer is no. They do not deserve (the occupiers) what they got. Whats wrong with you anyways that you support the killing of American troops?
Deadbeat Texan "Good thing people don't try to do that with Christianity here in America! Oh, wait, they do…they're called the Tea Baggers and Christian Taliban and they enjoy forcing their biblical values down everybody's throat and attempting to control every woman's vagina in America!!!"
Why is it that anti Christian liberals take every opportunity to spew their hate. It is because they have a different dictionary:
Liberal dictionary
Hate = standing up for Christian values.
Love = defending diversity unless that diversity happens to be
Christianity.
Women’s rights = killing innocent babies 180movie.com
Charity = take from the productive and make dependants of the non-
productive.
Balanced budget = essential for families, does not apply to government.
Truth = whatever you want it to be
Absolute truth = non-existent
Freedom of speech = as long as it is “politically correct”
Freedom of religion = unless it’s Christianity
God = man
Profiling = all conservatives are racist, bigots and homophobes.
HYPOCRITE = anyone who disagrees with us
bigot = anyone who disagrees with us
idiot = anyone who disagrees with us
Hate group = anyone who works to strengthen traditional families
Larry - hilarious! still blaming Bush. Here's President Obama's record. And you want more change? FORWARD in the wrong direction is a very bad thing.
National dept under President Barack Obama
â– Jan. 20, 2009: $10,626,877,048,913.08
â– Jan. 4, 2011: $14,025,215,218,708.52
August 15,2012 $15,924,245,522,843.15 and climbing
â– Days in Office: 1,315 days
over 8% unemployment
16.7% African-American unemployment (highest in 27 years)
dangerous failures in foreign policy, not to mention endangering the lives of our men and women in uniform and covert operations with the "look at me, I'm a cowboy" security breaches.
nationalized health care
record numbers of people on food stamps and welfare
Fast and furious
will,
"over 8% unemployment"
But you failed to mention that the unemployment rate was over 9.2 percent when Obama took office. I did find your liberal dictionary clever, though.
Another Deadbeat Texan, another lame attempt to compare Christianity with Islam. You spew your hate on every article I see you on. You know nothing about Christianity or Islam. How about looking into yourself and examining why you are the way you are. I'm sure even you have some good qualities.
Larry he was hired to fix the problem he failed NEXT Stop the excuses
Mickey, here is a number, 5% more lost the unemployment benefits because of no job and their benefits expired. When your benefits are over you are no longer counted. The real unemployment rate is well over 14%. Thank you Mr. President.
Thank you Joetheplummer
They will find these types of attacks increasing. Muslim jihad "freedom" fighters infiltrating from Iran, Pakistan and other Muslim countries converging on Afghanistan for a ripe chance to kill infidels. They have no need of finding targets inside the US, the US is sending targets to them. Reform any Muslim nation? It's not going to happen. Blind hatred overcomes reason every time. It's the nature of the beast.
"Why are Afghan forces turning on our soldiers"
Geez, where do I start? Maybe they are tired of being ridiculed by cocky american soldiers.
Or maybe they are tired of our soldiers killing their countrymen, and peeing on their bodies.
Or maybe they just want the americans out of their country.
Or maybe they have had a friend, relative or family member killed by the americans, and are getting their revenge.
Or maybe the americans have kicked in the doors of friends, or family members and terrorized them in the middle of the night.
And the americans are a bunch of cowardly quitters. After all the money and lives we have wasted on that war, now they want to suspend training the Afghan police, just when they were supposed to start "Tazing Old Grannies 101", next week.
it wasn't 9.2% stop drinking the liberal kool-aid andgo off facts
w ww.bls.gov/opub/ted/2009/feb/wk2/art02.htm
w ww.bls.gov/opub/ted/2012/ted_20120911.htm
Bring our guys home. Let Afghanistan rot.
It just a matter of time before we pull a "Vietnam Gerald Ford Act". "DECLARE VICTORY AND GET THE HELL OUT!"
I can't believe this question is actually being asked. We are the infidel and Muslims are charged with killing us. Taquia or lying to advance the Islamic cause is permitted as is all sorts of devious things to further the aims of Muhammad. As long as we are stupid enough to believe anything they say or do this will continue and those that want to be Christian apologists can go over their and give them your Bibles.
Spoken like someone who didn't even read the article.
Toasty, pull your head out of the sand. After you're done accusing other commenters of not reading an article. Read it yourself, along with the other thousands of articles detailing Muslims killing christians, hindus, buddhists, jews, and each other in the name of Allah. By the way they're killing Americans because of their infidel status as observed by Afganignorants. Get a clue.
Hey John Rgood, Try to understand. When another country invades us in the name of freedom, what will you be doing? My guess is you will be the first to get a gun and defend your family. Please think a little before posting.
You might remember here that 90% of the Afghans were glad to see the Taliban kicked out. The Afghan weren't for the most part living under a government they wanted. Not quite a conquering army that many here are describing. In addition, as bad as it may be, the people elected their own government. I'm not so sure about the second election. In any case it is is an Afghan government, not a U.S. military dictatorship. The Taliban has killed more innocent civilians and woman and children than NATO forces killed accidentally. The Taliban desecrate mosques by hiding in and fight from within them. The Taliban desecrate Korans by writing messages to each other within them. (That's why they were burned) If these are the reasons for Afghans killing Americans, why aren't they killing the Taliban as well. Contrary to what Panetta says and the kiss ass brass in the Military, it isn't the fault of the troops and a lack of respect for the culture -- that's just a smoke screen to cover up the real reason. I believe the problem is cultural, but is the Afghan culture of bribes and corruption. Of an allegiance based on the highest payer. On a hatred of anybody that isn't the same flavor of Muslim. Of course not all Afghans are that way, but enough are, and those that aren't are subject to the threat of death to themselves or their families. It may be true, that 10% is infiltration, but you can be sure that a much larger percentage is due to indirect infiltration via direct threat, than is due to a U.S. soldiers disrespect of their culture. This whole question could be resolved immediately by getting the U.S. the hell out of Afghanistan. I'd like to hear an honest explanation from out Commander in Chief as to why we are still there and what we hope to gain from staying any longer. We can stay till hell freezes over, but the day after it thaws out Afghanistan will be the same as it is now and the Taliban will be in control. The Taliban won't take over by winning the hearts and minds of the people, they'll take over by intimidation and brutality just like the last time. That's how you respect their culture I suppose.
Realist wrote: "90% of the Afghans were glad to see the Taliban kicked out"
...but they weren't happy to see McDonald's move in
Hey, Afghan people ----- ALL ALLIED PERSONNEL need to withdraw completely from this country and it's people. Ingrates all. To permanently shut the door behind us, as a final act we should drop Agent Orange onto EVERY ACRE of poppy growing or even poppy potentially growth areas. Let the backward looking populace deal with that. Enough turning the other cheek and trying to win over the hearts and minds of these non appreciative folks. They hate Westerners, especially Americans anyway, so at least do something right by eradicating, or at least minimizing, the drug business in the region.
I wonder if it was the same helicopter crew that was in that video shooting civilians on the ground and laughing about it.
Because you are in their damn country, why did Americans attack the British before independence?
There is an obvious reason why the Americans are there. The Taliban were full and complicite accessories to 911. They harbored the terrorists and refused extradition of Osama Bin Laden after the terror attacks on America's civilians, monumental architecture, and transportation infrastructure.
If the Afghanis continue to kill American soldiers, then America has the right to defend itself with more drastic measures with each attack. Now is the time to disband all social interaction between Americans and Afghans. Perhaps the Army should depopulate troubled areas into standoff zones. Maybe they should allow China to take over East Afghanistan to help with the stablization.
The Afghanis have a holy book with imperatives to kill, subjugate or plunder unbelievers. Americans do not, so Americans must act with the natural laws of self defense.
If Americans had camps of terrorists, and they had flown hijacked planes into the Kaaba in Meccah during the Haj, I am certain that Muslims would have responded. I wonder why Muslims can't see the picture from the other side? Does their holy book prevent them from doing so?
99% of afghans have nothing to do with taliban. Go occupy Pakistan where Taliban gets its training and funding.
"The Afghani's have a holy book with imperatives to kill, subjugate or plunder unbelievers. Americans do not..."
Sure we do. It's called imminent domain.
Wake up America! 911 was the greats lie ever told! Any fool could tell those twin Tower's was demo and brought down by bombs place inside, and not from the planes. We all know it wasn't a plane that hit the Pentagon there was no wing damage to the offices next to the impact hole. It doesn't take a college degree to know that the real terrorist behind 911 was the Bush family and the son finishing what his father try to do in Desert Storm. We done George W Bush you have done your father proud! Look at all the American people he had to kill to do it too. When is America going to wake up and put the real terrorist behind bars. The sad thing is G W Bush the greatest serial killer since Hitler will walk free. Never paying for his crimes here on Earth after all he is a true politician but I pray that the good Lord has a nice hot spot for him in Hell. It is time for the American people to wake up and see what this corrupt politician are doing to this great country. America don't need any more politicians we just need Godly rulers to lead in the true Spirit of America.
Robert,
"It doesn't take a college degree to know..."
It doesn't take a college degree to know that conspiracy theories are for lunatics like the people who invent them; no slur against you intended. :)
So...we've gone back to keeping empty mags in our weapons so it LOOKS like we're ready...but we're not. Unbelievable...well, no...I do believe it. Someone tell the aristocracy that the Cold War is over.
"Why are Afghan troops turning on coalition troops"? Ummmm, let me count the reasons.
Because they are there!
Or maybe they are tired of being ridiculed by cocky american troops.
Or maybe they are tired of the americans killing their countrymen and peeing on their bodies.
Or maybe they have had a friend, relative or family member killed by the americans.
Or maybe their friends, relatives, or family members have had their doors kicked in in the middle of the night, and terrorized by the americans.
Or maybe they don't like american policeing methods being forced on them!
And the americans are a bunch of cowardly quitters. You kill a few of them and they go into hiding, just when they were to begin teaching "Tazing Old Grannies" next week. What a huge waste of american tax payers money that war was.
Scott you punk little b and you know all that there is in afgan by your comments. I am a vet and you know nothing of what you are talking about. Hey you do have first Admin rights to speak freely and for that it make you a dumb azz.
OK, let's say a foreign military force invaded our country and occupied it for ten years killing thousands of our civilians and set up a quisling corrupt government. What do you suppose patriotic Americans, civilians and soldiers, would do?
Depends--are they here to help us get rid of our version of the Taliban, the Tea Party?
Don't believe everything the MSM tells you. There are good Americans in the tea party as well as the republican, democrate, libitarian, conservitive parties. Please don't pigion hole everyone for a few extremists.
Jackson...Please learn to spell. Every party you named is misspelled except for the Republican party.
If you can't spell it, you can't sell it.
There are good people in every party. The problem these days is, they don't speak up and therefore allow the dialog to be dominated by extremists. Y'all should get together and give them a blanket party.
It's difficult classifying the evil running under the aegis of the Republican Party. We have progressives, traditional conservatives, neocons, ultracons, and Tea Partiers. Stir in the Randian sociopaths. Then throw in the religious right, and there's a real mess.
It's a party ruled by consensus amongst its special interests, with monstrously weak leadership. Simply as an organization is disfunctional and is not suitable for leadership of the country.
Democracy is a obsolete and corrupt institution. We cannot stand up to the world split in half with nut cases on the fringes.
Blowback
Jackson - Were not some backwards country were women are stoned and acid thrown in thier faces, or have to worry about "honor killings" we seperate chruch and state not kill anybody who does not want sheria law. We are a mixed socity were diveristy is praised not a socity that trys to wipe it out. The reason civilians are getting killed is because the cowards who are killing our brave men and women hide amonst the civilan population. Pull everybody out bomb the &^*% out of them and then when they are crawing out of the rubble block out the sun with predator drones.
Cynic ,you left out OWS and Liberals. BTW you do know what a bigot is don't you
They are way to many guns in American house whole for this country to be invaded. The British learn that along time and as long as the American people have the 2nd Amendment the American people will fight off any invaded forces that try to invade this country.
I'm still trying to figure out what an "extremist" in the Tea Party is. Is that someone that yells "BOOOO" at a liberal?
Spirit, you make a valid point. But somehow, I can't picture americans doing much about it. Our government has already been taken over by the chosen ones, and our politicians jump to their feet on command of Whatayahoo, and the americans are too busy poking and staring, monkeylike, at their little devices to notice!
We need to just cut our losses and exit. If we have any issues out of the Middle East on our soil again, we should pummel them from the air until the locals make sure those things do not happen. Yes, its unfair, but they don't leave us much choice.
We should deny them airpower, but we should get out of there and not be on the ground there at all. Forget any agreements we have just get out now.
Third Way you've got it just about right, just about. We want terrorist activity to stop, so you need to make sure you put out a dictate to them if they don't stop it or turn over the terrorist, and one American get hurt we will level a City or camp. In Afghanistan, or where ever we need to, every time we need to until you stop. You strap bombs to woman and children I strap bombs to machines, I will win. Pull out now!
Who cares - get out troops out of there and the problem is solved.
Wasn't training the Afghan police our main reason for staying there? Now that we've suspended the training, does that mean we will be removing ALL the troops? Oh wait. We just signed a Status of Forces agreement, that will keep the americans in Afghanistan untiL 2024, AT WHICH TIME WE WILL SIGN ON FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS. You know, like South Korea, 60 years after the war ended there. The only reason we are not in Vietnam, is because we were kicked out!!!!!!!!!!! This has not been lost on the Afghans!
Wow.. If it were us shooting them like that Afghan would be all over us. The last time we did something like this (Salala incident.). And that was a mistake, not intentional. This has already happened 50 times in the last 2 years. We need to bring our guys home, and let them (the middle east) have at themselves. That's what they deserve.
Ummm, Judge. They deserve to have us out of their country!
During my Navy career, we used to say "there is the right way, the wrong way, and the Navy way" That implied that things are done for a particular reason grounded in the traditions and experience of the troops. In this case, I can well imagine the troops thinking the Afghan troops just need to "suck it up and get with the program" like they had to themselves.
To a great extent this is sound - our troops are better at their jobs than the Afghan troops. But where I see the problem is that our folks - while ranging from Rednecks, Yankees, Calif Flakes (or whatever cultural short hand you pick) - are still based in a common culture. And that conflicts with the Afghan culture. Our troops really need better training on where the cultures align, and where they diverge. And then figure out how to deal with the deltas.
But even then, you will always have some young troops that need to chest-beat and some bloody-minded folk that just want to see you fail. You try to do it right and someone is still going to try to trip you.
No Jim, are troops are thinking when are you going to let us protect ourselves (The Navy Way) Protect your ship at all cost! Protect you men at all cost!
Jim Burrel, I agree. I have been there a few times and I have witnessed first hand the blatant disrespect towards Middle Eastern culture by soldiers. It was not just isolated events either, this was on a daily basis some went as far as to insult and embarrass them in public. I understand that you are use to one way of life but what needs to be remembered is that you are a guest in someone elses country doing a job whether you agree with it or not and you cannot be closed minded or inconsiderate to their way of life. Also you can not blame the ENTIRE culture for the acts done by a few because just about everything you point a finger at in the Muslim religion throughout history you can do the same in Christianity along with a few other religions and countries to include the US. I am in no way justifying what happened but I am saying I see both sides of the road. Realist you make some good points as well but there are a couple of things that I disagree with you on.
No Jim. We need to stop demanding and training the world to do everything our way! Most americans don't like modern policing methods, yet we are trying to force them on other countries.
Leave. I wonder how much we could save, if we just closed all of our bases around the world. If other countries want the US there to defend them, they have to pay for it!
I agree. Make them ask for our help, and make them pay for it. If they decide they don't want our help anymore we leave.
It's a simple strategic advantage to have our military bases all over the world. It isn't about money.
Strategic is keeping most of our weapons in space. Having bases in foreign countries is irrelevant at our current technological capacity. Fight smarter, not harder.
Over 40 years ago, US military lacked every understanding of Vietnamese culture, they expressed their comtempt by calling them 'gooks'. Identically, the afghans are called humiliated the same way. And they retaliate the way the Vietcong did : by infiltration. It is a very old strategy, practised since the days of the German chieftain Arminius who befriended the Roman commander Quintillus Varus, so to be able to led 3 entire legions into an ambush where they got slaughtered. This ancient event is even lectured in West Point Military Academy, to no avail...
Excellent examples! Asymmetrical warfare is almost as old as war itself, so the current events in Afghanistan should not be surprising whatsoever.
Why is he not taking advantage of ending the war in Afghanistan now - before the election? They could protect the American border from terrorists, gun runners and human smugglers. They would defend the Constitution. They would be back in time to vote. They would protect THIS country. What Peace was that quizzical Nobel Prize for?
Meynen Guy - Your eyes can actually cross when you look down your nose at that angle, even if it's mainly for effect.
McGee - It should be 'McGlee', almost wetting yourself thinking Obama has a 'disclaimer' for troop deaths. Obama is off the hook. Soldiers can be rude.
I'm afraid you are mistaken alim. Understanding why certain actions are taking place and the precedents for those actions is not the equivalent of excusing those responsible (on either side). I do not think American troops should be in Afghanistan at all and do not support President Obama's nation-building adventurism.
Why did the droid army turn on the Jedi. It was part of the plan all along
It was the Clone army that turned, not those silly droids! But even in another galaxy far away, protracted war is never a good thing.
These are Middle East Muslims killing American troops. Barbarians, inhuman beings who don't respect life are killing are troops. Get out of Afghanistan and start bombing it.
Would you respect the lives of foreign soldiers whom are occupying your country and claim to know what's best for you?
Ummm, Jamie. Please explain to us what we are doing in Afghanistan or why we need to bomb them!
They're scumbag sociopaths....period. Who would invite you into their home for dinner and then shoot you in the back other then sociopaths. These people aren't killing because of a military occupation they're killing because they like it. Cowards.
It's time to leave and let them run their own country, Taliban be damned! I'm sick of our troops being murdered when they are trying to help them establish a stable society.
Are troops are going to stay there, as long as we the people allow it to happen. Have you noticed the difference between them killing our troops, shooting them in the back, which I call "murder", not"killing." I don't care who sent us there, who is responsible for us being in that country, that is past history, the here and now is what we need to worry about. I only care that our troops are still there. We all know what happens to one of our troops, if god forbid, if a soldier should should kill one of theirs. Our troops are trained to kill, trained in war fare, and sent to a country an then punished. Our government pays these people restitution for the loss of their family members Actually this is a worse war being waged and one of the useless ones, I have ever lived through.. I for one am in favor of using tactics the American people used through the Vietnam was, PROTEST AND OPENLY. Of course we might get thrown in a jail or a mad house, telling us we are crazy. We American are at fault too, for letting this government dictate what we can do and say, according to a law Obama signed by executive order, plainly saying the government has a right to detain any American who they fill is a threat to America, and your name is put on a list. None of you need to tell me to read the article,that I am wrong, This is how I feel. When a so called green murders a blue, the excuse is they were fasting for their holiday, in distress, battle fatigue, and they are never caught.an they are never punished. Whats wrong with this picture. I don't sit and try analyse the news stories, and rant about Dem or Rep. Neither party has said a word about this useless war. It will continue as always and our lives and country will fall deeper in debt. What country does anyone thinks is going to bail us out, without a price. Americans need to get out and protest this war all over America. We need a completely new government that honors and believes in the oath they take. As we have always said--Freedom has a price, it is not free..
Tea party infiltrators inside the "party of NO", cannot tell the difference.
It must be a form of military intelligence, that the allies and the enemies MUST look the same, wars make as much sense when they cannot tell friend from foe, only because they last forever. The following is a example of war created for political reasons, and not very successful.
Philippine–American War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War
From "The Art of War", by Sun Tzu.....WRITTEN MORE THAN 2000 YEARS AGO.
When will we ever learn?
There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.
But there are individuals and non-government entities who DO profit while the rest of us (the country) lose. Follow the money and you will find out who is promoting all this endless warfare, with concomitant costs in life and lucre. Until we take our government back, and change our operating basis, we must expect more of the same.
We don't learn and probably never will. We keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Until we cease fighting and blaming the other guys (GOP or Dems) we fail to see who REALLY owns our government. Open your eyes, fellow citizens. Do the research.
Duh, what do you think we would be doing if China was occupying this country.
Um they pretty much are ..
"For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."
Military members killing civilians, showing disrespect for their religion and desecrating religious artifacts builds up over time resulting in outburst.
The failure of this country to admit defeat in "nation building" and failing to rein in over zealous troops will result in further blood shed.
disagree with your prmise that for every action there is a opposite and equal reaction- however will concur that we have failed in nation building- to anyone who has ever lived in th emiddle east knows the mindset of those people are not like anything we have ever experienced they have no allegiance to each other and sell theri souls to the highest bidder- Mr. Obama get us the hell out of there
Very good point Fred. That is odb2 that is not true of everyone in the middle east a lot are very loyal to family and friends, the same back stabbing you see there you definitely see here.
Obama doesn't care if our service men and women die in a conflict whose purpose is without merit.
Obama has little to say about it, if the truth were known! If he actually ended the war, he would wind up like Kennedy. You remember him, don't you? He was going to end the Vietnam war. Johnsons first order of business after being sworn in, was to escalate the Vietnam war! Things are never what they appear.
The Afghan soldiers have been described as unmotivated, lazy, undisciplined and generally unwilling to perform their duties. Take away their hashish and they become angry and violent. We have been there too long. Get all American forces out of that sh1thole country and let them fend for themselves. With both Iran and Pakistan supplying and training insurgents and Al Qaida pouring funds into the villages closest to American bases, it is not surprising at all that the Afghans are turning against the Americans. Of course, the White House tries to tell us a different story and still claims we can have 'victory' there, but they are still trying to blow smoke up our collective posteriors about that. Ask any soldier who has been there and they will agree.
"What’s causing Afghan troops to turn on coalition forces?" One Word - islam .
You are an idiot! Did you read the whole article?
More than religion comes into play here, sorry.
ampillon I see you're beakin off again , big surprise
It's nothing new on what ever war your in. We had a Barber at our base near Saigon. In the day, he would give us shaves and hair cuts. At night he was shooting rockets at us. With these Marines ambushed and killed. We will never hear the exact reason these Afghans turned on them. This word "WHY" will never be answered. I could sit here with my theories, but I wasn't there. I'm just a common American, saying GOD BLESS our brave American Soldiers. GOD Bless the family and relatives on losing so much with these Marines losing their lives.
Taliban somewhat to blame. battle fatigue. fog of war. personal grudges. what a load of BS. these are not allies, they hate us. get out of this nut house. stop wasting American forces for political reasons. i hate to say it but a war fought in the mid-east, to be successful, would have to be total genocide. i would not suggest it, so get out.
Our forces don't all bow down to allah , that's why these afghan aholes are turning on them . They're just following the instructions of their cult book .Kill the infadel yada yada ad nauseum .
Step 1 is quit calling them NATO troops. It's always Uncle Stupid's troops and our money, so call them US troops. As long as we're willing to be the world's policeman, and let our so-called allies get a free ride then we will always be a broke economic has-been.
Japan, China, Korea and Germany build stuff, run massive trade surpluses, save and use their left over profits to lend us money, money that will be paid back from future US generations.
No wonder they call us Uncle Stupid.
"Step 1 is quit calling them NATO troops. It's always Uncle Stupid's troops and our money, so call them US troops. As long as we're willing to be the world's policeman, and let our so-called allies get a free ride then we will always be a broke economic has-been.
Ummm, Biff. You are right. They aren't NATO troops. We just use that NATO lable for cover, so it doesn't appear we are trying to "take over the world"! Our government coerces other countries to send a few token troops, to make it look like a united effort, and take the spotlight off the americans. And we aren't "willing to be the worlds policeman". We WANT to be the worlds policeman!
Let's take our troops and our equipment ( all of it) and our money and go home.
End of Problem.