The United States.

Never found WMD in Iraq but waged war anyway. Never found Osama Laden in Afghanistan, but killed thousands of alleged 'terrorists' we didn't like. Never declared war in Pakistan, but bombed villages we didn't like.

The United States. Never found a peace we liked.

The American people. Never were there a more gullible people whom the Military Industrial Complex didn't like.

"The American people. Never were there a more gullible people whom the Military Industrial Complex didn't like."

Last I recall many Americans hate the war and actually opposed it. Go look it up.

Everyone can speak with their head in the sand but not everyone can actually go out there and experience it first hand. Maybe go see for yourself if you think these wars are one big conspiracy war against innocent people. (If innocent lives didn't matter, US would've turned Iraq into glass)

Can some explain:

1. What for Iraqi wars were done and for whom?

2. Were they worth it (benefits and losses)?

We'll be in the fight soon. You can bet on it. Like we need to kill more people.

The War was already going on when the French intervened.Let's not forget that France is part of the UN and the UN Security council.They can and probably will end up asking for assistance.The UN will respond like it usually does,with American troops and money.

Conneaut, OH

The United States. Never met a war we didn't like.

And had the U.S. not intervened where we did, and had the terrorists advanced in heavy number to our foreign and domestic interests, people such as you would be the first to scream and whine...." Why didn't we do something to stop this?"

Battle in Mali is going to be a very tough one.

Hope people can recall about interventions in Somalia and Libya.

The dual policy of dancing as directed by oil rich Sunni rulers like House of Saud, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE and other Sunni Arab League nations and going after their proxies/inventions like al Qada, Boko Haram, MB, Salaffi, Taliban will end up as disasters.

We already have many NATO forces' dead boots on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan and injured ones in the US.

Either strike at the source/fountainheads of Islamic extremism like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan or just keep away.

Wall St and Jonathan, hows the poppy over there? Fix your own country before you worry about ours! Then maybe we dont have to keep coming over there to bail your asses out of your mess!

BTW......send back our foreign aide money!

FedupwithFed: Assume and spin abuses as much as you want.

I am also badly hurt by US economic mess due to invented wars and manipulated high oil prices!

Question is: more than you or less!

It's expensive but much cheaper than to land troops, invade and conquer like Bush II did. We will be paying for his war for a very long time and some vets will pay for the rest of their lives. Besides if another country contributes it is still less for us unlike Iraq.

The War was already going on when the French intervened.Let's not forget that France is part of the UN and the UN Security council.They can and probably will end up asking for assistance.The UN will respond like it usually does,with American troops and money.

Yep. Sure smells alot like Vietnam, doesn't it? And so will begin yet ANOTHER pointless, asinine military quagmire in which we will waste perfectly good lives and money for NOTHING. Because it's exactly like Conneaut said, the U.S. has never met a war it didn't like.

One thing you can say about the French, they are always there when they need us!

Jonathan----We went into Iraq for two reasons:

1) George W. Bush wanted to prove to his father and to himself that he was a real tough guy. He wanted to overcome the impression that he was a weak, drunk, cowardly, rich kid weasel. He wanted to be a soldier President. You know, just like that President in his favorite movie, Independence Day. He wanted to dress up in a Navy flight suit and fly onto the deck of an aircraft carrier and strut around holding his flight helmet and take photos to show to his grandchildren to prove that he was more than a weak, drunk, cowardly rich kid weasel. He wanted to prove to the world that hey look, I Accomplished my Mission!!

2) Meanwhile the REAL President, Dick Cheney let Bush play with his toys because Cheney needed him out of the way while the REAL President put into motion his neo-con plan and his neo-con people to take advantage of the serendipitous attack of 9/11 and invade his long time target Iraq. As Cheney would happily tell you, Iraq sat on the 2nd largest known oil reserves in the Middle East and Cheney was an Oil Man. He wanted his buddies at Haliburton and the International Oil Giants to help him bankrupt the Federal government. To pull billions of dollars in no bid contracts out of our government to prosecute the war and then get control of the Iraqi oil fields. Trillions of dollars to his friends in the defense and oil industries. That was the real reason for the war in Iraq. It had nothing to do with 9/11 or terrorism.

Cheney, as it turns out, was not as smart as he thought he was and just @!$%#ed up the war. He still got his billions out of the US Treasury but he never got true control over the oil fields and oh yeah, he killed 6,000 Americans doing it. When you think about it, the Bush kid, if left to his own, could have done no worse...

Bluelake: Thanks for telling the truth or stating realities.

What about our fate: are not we (many of us) on the streets or about to go to streets?

The number of "innocents" killed in Predator drone strikes, no matter where, is tiny by degrees when compared to the number of Iraqi civilians killed as a direct result of our invasion and occupation of Iraq. And god, I hate to admit it but that hurts nowhere near as much as the thought of the thousands and thousands of good, faithful and honorable American soldiers who gave their lives as a result of this wild misadventure.

You can lament the collateral damage related to drone strikes but no matter how you or I feel, this is the new face of global war. Giant armies and huge pitched battles are a thing of the past. We will have to fight smarter, cheaper and farther away than we have before.

When the nomination of Chuck Hagel comes to the floor of the Senate you are going to see the republikans try to destroy this man. You are going to hear them scream and yell and accuse and you are going to see the old standbys of McCaine and Graham weep and gnash their teeth over what they see as a weakening of our country. They are the OLD way! Throw tons of money and human lives at wars. We need more, bigger defense expenditures, not less. You will watch the republikans and you will watch Hagel and you will see in stark contrast, the OLD attacking the NEW. You will see the PAST fighting the FUTURE. And you will see the republikans sliding closer to that "dust bin of history".

For all of those hypocrites who lashed out at Bush for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - Obama is no better. He continues to get us involved where we do not have control - something we have never done with our military before. We have never been at the beck and call of another nation - now France? If it serves our national interest - step up to the plate and take charge - if it doesn't - back off. Selling technologically advanced war planes to the Muslim Brotherhood controlled Egyptian government? How irresponsible is that? This President has an agenda that he has not been open about and I fear he is selling our freedoms and independence away under the guise of being part of the global community.

Your lack of spelling skills is exceeded only by your lack of reading comprehension. Did you even read a single @!$%#ing word I wrote? Doubtful. The word is imbecile... you imbecile.

Fr request from asxxxxoc, sorry never saw a post from you so I do not know how you think. But I can use all the friends I can get. If it is a job offer I assume you already know who I am.

FCK the TALIBAN,

What is wrong with you? Do you not see that in fact Bluelake was essentially supporting your comments on Pakistan? Are you just a war monger regardless of the why or the justification?

Bluelake was absolutely correct regarding his comments about the Iraq War. That doesn't mean the men and women who actually fought it are somehow at fault. They were simply doing their duty as asked of them.

You seem to think that if someone says anything negative about a particular war or military action, is somehow automatically against any war or any action. Your job as a soldier was to do as the command told you without utilizing your own judgement as to whether or not the decision was correct.

You say you are a veteran and that you are currently in Afghanistan. That seems to suggest that you are now a civilian. Maybe a contractor, or maybe you have other personal interests in Afghanistan. Whatever the reason you are there, your statement suggest that you are there by your own choice and not because you are deployed there as a part of doing your military duty.

As civilians, unlike those serving in the military, we have a right to question our war policies. I didn't see Bluelake absolutely decrying any action is Afghanistan. But the efforts in Afghanistan, and in Pakistan for that matter, are different topics than Iraq. Bluelake doesn't say that no wars should exist, but that the nature of war needs to change. Sure it would be nice if the whole world all got along, but that will never be reality. So we deal with conflicts in the best way possible.

These are not black and white issues. They are complex. I see nothing in Bluelake's comments saying we should ignore terrorism. But there are different ways to do that. What I see him saying is that we approach the issue from ways that minimize the casualties of our own fighting men and women, as well as minimizing the casualties of innocents in the wrong place at the wrong time. How is it that you are against that? Does it not seem logical to you?

I voted up your first comment about the drone strikes as being truthful and logical, but than I see that logic isn't your strong suit. Maybe you should chill out a bit and read Bluelake's comment again. If you still have no respect for his opinion, then there is no helping you. You can be proud of serving in an unjust and inappropriate war. Bluelake was not attacking those who serve, he was attacking the logic and appropriateness of what you are asked to do in your service to the country. When you enlist, you give up your right to have an opinion about what you are asked to do. You serve your country even if what your country is doing may not be appropriate or justified. If you enlisted because you had an opinion about what needed to be done, you did it for the wrong reason.

All wars are evil. However, some are necessary evils like WWII, the first Gulf war and the war against Al Qaida. This action is, as I have read, directly against Al Qaida. So Mr. Fat, to say you are against this action is to say you are happy with the 9-11 disaster and would welcome more of the same. I thank our heroic service members and our President for standing up to these evil and hateful people. We need to fight them wherever they are.

FAILURE, FAILURE, FAILURE, FAILURE, FAILURE: "Bluelake - Jonathan----We went into Iraq for two reasons:".

Iraq was a US Ally during the Iran Iraq Wars, Iraq was a 20th Century Nation. Just like US Ally Afghanistan was a 20th Century Nation until the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban destroyed everything "Western", "Modern", "Non Islamic".

In accordance with President Clinton's US Law, H.R.4655, "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" Section 2 Findings Weapons of Mass Destruction, Section 3 US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein that later became 2003 Operation Iraqis Freedom. President Clinton as Commander In Chief FAILED attempt as 1998 US Military Operation Desert Fox resulted in the over 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers condemning the US as the Great Satan.

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1057063/posts

In 2001 after Operation Viking Hammer (the elimination of the Taliban, Al Quada, Islamic Jihadists we chased into Northern Iraq from Afghanistan that combined with the Fundamentalist Islamic Kurdistanis PKK, HPG, KGK and became Ansar Al Islam), before we could eliminate them Iran gave them Islamic Sanctuary, we then conducted Operation Hotel California to create a Strategic Feint to make the Iraqis Military Command and Iraqis Political Leadership believe the Main US Military Forces would be coming thru US Ally Turkey, so that they would commit over ten (10) Full Strength Iraqis Armored and Mechanized Infantry Divisions North of Baghdad; during Operation Hotel California, non nuclear E-Bombs were used that destroyed all Electronics plunging 20th Century Iraq into the Stone Ages.

Repeatedly we protested the Overthrow of President Hussein as President Clinton's US Law and US Policy, especially those of us that were the US Military Training Teams to US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars; since we knew that President Hussein was the Counterbalance to the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran using the Iraqis Oil Wealthand the lives of the Iraqis Citizens of the Iraqis Military. Of course our protests were not listened to, and immediately we were threatened with Letters of Reprimand, UCMJ, Detentions, Relief of Command, etc. and other adverse actions as pushed by the US Politicians (not the US Military).

The "Mission Accomplished" by President Bush, President Clinton's US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein.

Unedited Mission Accomplished Speech Transcript (Five Pages):

http://articles.cnn.com/2003-05-01/us/bush.transcript_1_general-franks-major-combat-allies?_s=PM:US

DO NOT LET THE DOCUMENTED HISTORICAL FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF YOU NON FACTUAL BULLSH!T OPINIONS FURTHER DUMBING DOWN NEWSVINE'S "GET SMARTER HERE".

1NewDay--All I can say is thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read and understand what I had to say. And thank you also for intelligently adding your perspective.

1NewDay - Your job as a soldier was to do as the command told you without utilizing your own judgement as to whether or not the decision was correct.

PROOF YOU HAVE NEVER SERVED, AS EVER SINCE THE MY LAI MASSACRE THAT BULLSH!T YOU POSTED (LIKE ABOVE) WENT AWAY.

YOUR POST INDICATES THAT YOU NEVER WERE TRAINED AS A US MILITARY LEADER.

THAT BULLSH!T YOU POSTED ABOVE IS ONLY APPLICABLE TO THE CHINESE MILITARY. AND PREVIOUSLY THE USSR (NOT CURRENT RUSSIAN FEDERATION) MILITARY.

THAT BLIND FOLLOWING YOU POSTED IS WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA DEMANDS, AND HAS REQUIRED THOSE STATING FACTS THAT DIFFER FROM HIS UNEDUCATED NON FACTUAL OPINIONS TO TENDER THEIR LETTERS OF RESIGNATION. Just like Chancellor Hitler Purged the German Military (Oath to German People), then installed his NAZIs (Oath to Hitler Only).

Bluelake - 1NewDay--All I can say is thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read and understand what I had to say. And thank you also for intelligently adding your perspective.

Suture 1NewDay face to your arse. Both of your NON Factual opinions stink.

In the April/May 1982 Falkland Island's conflict, president Reagan dealt with 2 U.S. allies but chose Great Britain over one of our main importers and ally in our own American continent, Argentina. They both claim the Great Britain "Falklands" and Argentinean "Malvinas". We supplied GB's Air Force with fuel, and helped them with logistics against one of our allies. We're doing less now- without getting involved- helping one of our main allies, France.

This time, we are facing a very different and real threat to our own country. Can someone ignore this threat? So what is exactly the problem that some here see?

So what is exactly the problem that some here see?

lilirocks,

All this is because of "Freedom Fries".

As I said before, grown men and women in the United States government revealed themselves as idiots.

And ignorant people followed.

By the way, I wonder why Bush Administration didn't try to punish Canada, or Germany, America's other good allies.

What the 'F' ever lilirocks; If a few thousand more homeland security locations and over a million new employees plus all the other unconstitutional monitoring here isn't enough to protect us from the foreign cave dwellers then I guess evolution just needs to run its course.

The real threat are the rich and powerful who will never be rich and powerful enough. Stop buying their $h!t!!

lilirocks - This time, we are facing a very different and real threat to our own country.

Created by President Obama, see post #2.4.

lilirocks - Can someone ignore this threat?

Why not, President Obama ignored the REAL Threats at US Ally Iraq, US Ally Redacted, US Ally Pakistan, US Ally Egypt, US Ally Yemen, some other Nations of President Obama's Secret Wars (ask Senator Lieberman), etc..

lilirocks - So what is exactly the problem that some here see?

Pull out your own money (President Obama borrow more money from the Chinese at 7% interest) to fund the French, then you suit up and go there (do not volunteer someone else to do those things you would never do).

That's what President Obama did according to the Demoncraps, suited up went on the SR Mission that turned into a DA Mission (Raid) and killed Osama Bin Laden, "Obama Killed Osama Bin Laden", during the President Bush (43) Authorized Mission since 2006 after President Bush (43) Amended the US No Assassination Policy (Harvard International Review, 2006, Article, "US No Assassination Policy On The Offensive"), the President Bush (43) Authorized Mission to Locate and Capture Osama Bin Laden Delegated to the Director CIA, Commander US Military Special Operations Command, Commander US Military Joint Special Operations Command since 2001. (Hint: Like US Laws, Presidential Executive Orders (EOs) do not go away unless rescinded, repealed, or accomplished (President Bush (43) "Standing" EOs pertaining to the Locating and Capture of Osama Bin Laden, as it was absolutely necessary to Capture Osama Bin Laden to gain his thought process and planning process imprinted on his Al Quada Leadership for the US to preemptively interdict Al Quada Activities Worldwide; and Failing Capture the Termination of Osama Bin Laden as a Mission Failure (2006 President Bush (43) EO).

You and President Obama suit up, then all of us don't have to suit up anymore, train 80% to 90% of our time, and we can go home to our families and back on retirement again.

While President Obama as Commander In Chief has Ordered the Reduction In Forces of the US Military by 50% (translation the few remaining 1% of US Citizens of the US Military will have longer deployments more frequent deployments with 92% of US Citizens NEVER Serving (according to 2008 Candidate Obama "US Military Service is a Civic Duty" basically 92% of US Citizens not doing their "Civic Duty" as US Citizens, while US Military still not getting a "Fair and Living Wage" and still getting deductions for (TriCare) Medical, Dental, Vision, Social Security, etc. (So do not even compare the US Military to Unionized US Law Enforcement nor Fire Departments). After being told President Obama's intentions Secretary of Defense Gates during his last visit here told us he would be tendering his Letter of Resignation regardless of President Obama's requests for him to stay on as Secretary of Defense; Secretary of Defense Gates did not want to be responsible for the Destruction of the US Military; just like what President Clinton previously did, including Gutting of the US Intelligence Agencies that left the US Blind and Deaf to the Events leading up to the 9/11 2001 Attacks (Bipartisan 9/11 Commission (Committee) Investigations, Findings, and Recommendations with former President Clinton saying, "I'm a so sorry").

Secretary of Defense Penetta has also stated his opposition to President Obama Destruction of the US Military (Capability to conduct two Wars simultaneously and contingency Operations, to only a limited one War capability), including, "A 10% Defense Budget Cut will result in a Million (US) Civilians becoming Unemployed", with President Obama demanding a 11% US Defense Budget Cut. As to why Secretary of Defense Penetta is tendering his Letter of Resignation.

Like I stated before President Obama refuses to listen to anyone that has Experience and Expertise (Secretary of Defense Gates, Secretary of Defense Penetta, General McKiernan, General McChrystal, General Petraeus (also as Director CIA), General Ham, etc.). Hint: Do not listen to what President Obama says, research what he does/did (in the Real World Life or Death School of Hard Knocks, "Empty Words", Appearance, Excuses, etc. do not matter; Only Results matter).

Do you really want to know the rest of: "lilirocks - So what is exactly the problem that some here see?"

At one some point in time you do realize after surviving many things while many of your superiors, peers, subordinates did not, that "You Cannot Defend Stup!d". And it feels really good when you stop banging your head against the walls (attempting to tell the stup!d that they are repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different result as a definition of insanity.). You do realize that at some point in time you just have to let the stup!d win the Darwin Award while not allowing them to take you out with themselves.

The French are of course reimbursing us for the personnel, equipment, and fuel costs, Right?

david-475776

Really??? Iraq? Pakistan? Egypt? Yemen? ETC?? Your Rhetoric is insane and you should be committed to an asylum. You're going to compare These Muslim countries (as allies of the U.S.) with France? And then you're going to go on and say we're borrowing from China to help our European allies?

Go ahead and post your hate and anti-Obama drivel in some hateful conservative blog on the net, just keep it off serious sites where your insanity is recognized and rejected.

URQ196

In spite of your hate, they already have.

In Egypt we support radical Islam, even give doddle butt 20 F-16 fighter jets, but now we supply fuel to other jets fighting radical Islam. Is there anybody driving this wagon?

I thought the Arab Spring was to get rid of dictators, now we help set up another dictator in Egypt and even give him 20 fighter jets and 200 tanks. Someone is feeding me a line of $hit.

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said three U.S. KC-135 tankers would provide aerial refueling as necessary to French aircraft, including tactical jets and bombers. The U.S. planes are stationed at Moron Air Base in Spain.

The defense official said the United States expected the tankers to be involved in the operation for a period of months as needed. They will be operating under the U.S. Africa Command, which coordinates U.S. military involvement with African countries but is based in Germany.

Can't blame this one, along with the others, on Bush.

Uh oh.....better pull Mr. Obama's name from the next Nobel Peace Prize nomination list.

lilirocks....."Go ahead and post your hate and anti-Obama Republican drivel in some hateful conservative Progressive blog on the net, just keep it off serious sites where your insanity is recognized and rejected."

You may want to re-direct this statement to FLYeisty and her Progressive friends.

lilirocks - david-475776 - Really??? Iraq? Pakistan? Egypt? Yemen? ETC?? Your Rhetoric is insane and you should be committed to an asylum. You're going to compare These Muslim countries (as allies of the U.S.) with France? And then you're going to go on and say we're borrowing from China to help our European allies? Go ahead and post your hate and anti-Obama drivel in some hateful conservative blog on the net, just keep it off serious sites where your insanity is recognized and rejected.

TYPICAL UNINFORMED UNEDUCATED HYPOCRITE DEMONCRAP THAT CANNOT EVEN LISTEN TO THE ADVISE OF THEIR OWN PRESIDENT:

From President Obama's 2013 Inaugural Speech:

We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect.

The only insane person is YOU, with you attempting to defend President Obama Wrong or Right to your death, as worse than an Islamic Jihadist Suicide Bomber.

I have been involved with the Islamic Nations since the US Military Training Teams to US Ally Iraq since the Iran Iraq Wars, rotated to Operation Cyclone. Previously, I was stationed at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), when the French were the on and off again US Allies of NATO (OTAN, en francais). I had previously trained and actually was attached during Redacted to the French Commandos at Redacted, and earned by the "Spilling of Blood" Offered French Citizenship; same way I earned Deutsche Offered Citizenship while attached to the Deutsche Bundeswehr Commandos. Currently, the French Commandos and some of the Legion etrangere Francais are to my south, that used to be the British SAS.

I KNOW THE FRENCH FROM FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE, NOT YOUR NON PARTICIPANT NON FACTUAL OPINIONS, parce que j’etudie le Francais, mange moi derriere.

I have had Iraqis take those bullets for me and die during the Iran Iraq Wars, I have had Egyptian Families help me while I lived with them while attending College to learn Arabic and later Islam, an Egyptian Soldier died instead of me, I have watched a Pakistanis Military Counterpart die instead of me, before being yanked out of Yemen a Military Soldier of President Saleh died instead of me. When did a French Military do any of that.

And yes, I am a "Hater", I hate STUP!D; that gets my US Military Family as my Family by choice, not accident of Birth, killed unnecessarily.

DO NOT EVEN POST UNEDUCATED UNINFORMED NO FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE BULLSH!T ON NEWSVINE'S "GET SMARTER HERE" (NOT YOUR PERSONAL BLOG TO POST YOUR NONSENSE OPINIONATED BULLSH!T FURTHER DUMBING DOWN THE US CITIZENS).

I agree with Bluelake and lilirocks.

david does not much of anything.

He is in his hell hole imagining as he likes. He is disaster/loser by his own accounts.

One day: he will say Shias are majority among Muslims. Another day, he can claim: Jews are more than billion in numbers!

FCKtheTALIBAN: Hope you people know how to fight wars unlike your John Allen, who was fighting e-mail battles with women!

After 11 years of battles and that too with dedicated "experts" like you and david, NATO forces are finding excuses for how to run from Afghanistan.

That speaks all about your abilities.

If US top politicians and military people consider Pakistan as an ally that speaks about depth of thinking and strategic planning for wars.

Afghan war "responsible end" record is certainly better than the record in Vietnam where the US soldiers had to be air lifted from Saigon airport!

Lastly, when you fight battle, fight to win and not run with excuses.

David,

Never been in the military and never wanted to be. The draft ended in my year. I'm thankful. Maybe you think that someone who has never been in the military is entitled to have an opinion about war, but that is just your biased opinion.

True, I didn't live it, but the 98% or more of us haven't. If we just let those in the military run the world, we'd all be in trouble. I could say that you've never been President, so you don't know what you're talking about and aren't worthy of an opinion about a President's decisions.

Nope, no training as a military leader. Thankfully, because I haven't been handicapped with that in the private sector. I've known a lot of military leaders who failed in the private sector because they couldn't loose their attitude. Just too hard to do for some guys who just know better than the rest of us.

And you can say that what I described isn't correct, but tell that to the guys who decided they didn't think these were just wars and refused to go back. I know a guy that did just that. Got charged with desertion. Had he not tried to kill himself, he'd have probably done time. Got a DD instead. He's messed up and will probably never be right. To me, he did the right thing because he'd have likely got others and himself killed.

I wasn't suggesting that you have no responsibility for you actions or that you could get absolved of following improper orders. My point was that you don't get to make policy or even question policy decisions. My Lia wasn't about government policy. It may have been to some degree, an "accepted" practice, as in some leadership "allowing" it. As I recall, only the platoon leader got convicted. I'm sure you know better than I, but my point was more about not getting to decide the bigger decisions like being in Veit Nam in the first place. Whether right or wrong, the accepted opinion is that the Veit Nam war shouldn't have happened. But that doesn't mean that those who fought it shouldn't be proud of their service. In fact maybe even more proud than had it been a "popular" war. As long as they served honorably, I don't see that it matters if it were an unjustifiable war. I know a lot of Nam vets and have the utmost respect for their service. I would have went if I had to, but I sure as hell didn't want to, nor did I think it was a war that we should have been in.

Hope you're still not out there. You were supposed to retire. Long overdue. You served your country and I honor you for it, but you are one scary dude who thinks he knows everything. Bottom line is what the guys in the field think, really doesn't matter that much when you get right down to it. And you know it. That's what gets you pissed off and on one of your "professor know it all" tirades. Think you are talking to anybody but yourself?

I know, you've lived it so you know. Well lots of men and women have lived it and they know it differently. And your hatred for the President of the United States is pretty scary. Some might say you were blinded by your hate.

Seriously, dude, get a real life away from that crap already. Agree to a truce with the rest of the world and move on. You are not going to be the savior or the one who makes everything right. I am reasonably certain that you have done a lot for our country. And I'll bet a lot of it was things you didn't want to do or didn't think was right. Anybody who has read your posts know that. But that hasn't stopped you. You won't quit. Even if you are out of it finally, (I truly hope you are), you can't let it go.

You are a smart guy and you've seen a lot and done a lot and I am sure you are 100% convinced of your opinions, so I have no desire to try to change them. But in the end, your opinions on all this don't really matter when it comes to policy.

I've read your stuff for quite a while and used to find at least some of it informative, but you have just become an abusive rambler. You have gone from sensible, analytical and informative to someone full of bitterness. Bottom line is when you do that you just make it worse because people quit listening. There could be something useful in there, but nobody will notice. Hate is a bad thing. It eats your insides out. And it also muddies your thinking. It makes you see things that aren't there. It's got you believing that hate protects you and your brothers. Maybe sometimes it seems like it does, but just make sure your hate doesn't get somebody killed.

The U.S. is doing what we're supposed to do in this conflict. We can see haters like David, come in to every situation to spill their garbage (mostly anti Obama drivel) regardless of what situation, nationality or group in question.

@Jonathan-1982062I

Totally agree and anyone who considers a country like Pakistan, birth of Taliban and the most radical Muslim groups (including their Muslim alliance with alQaeda in Afghanistan and the reason for our involvement in war) as our ally, needs to check their mental meds.

@1NewDay

My husband served in our military since practically out of H.S. and was highly decorated as a young pilot. I honestly think david-475776 's wild imagination puts him in military status while he has never served in his life (the reason why I have him on ignore). He gives you an endless drivel about anything, and if you go to his page and read his comments, he's an expert on every country and situation in the world. What he fears the most (as the end line in most every comment) is a personal attack on his credibility. This, while he usually attacks every one else around in News vine. Mostly though, his main problem is Obama's second term while he -as many others- thought this wasn't possible.

I would like to see the senior citizens posting here to embrace the concept that an old dog CAN learn new tricks. We cannot predict the future even when we know plenty about the past. In recent events, all calculations based on past statistics predicting a Romney win over Obama, failed.

We can't get involved in this one because the Democrats and Liberals don't have anyone to pin the blame on yet.

Believe me Wolf..., if Barry and the Libs decide to send in troops, they'll have an elaborate plan to blame Republicans.

You guys need to make up your minds. Are those dirty liberals gutless pussies afraid to fight or are they militant war mongers ready to put our soldiers anywhere? I'll give you time to tune in to Fox so they can tell you what your opinions should be.

Bluelake - You guys need to make up your minds. Are those dirty liberals gutless pussies afraid to fight or are they militant war mongers ready to put our soldiers anywhere? I'll give you time to tune in to Fox so they can tell you what your opinions should be.

What's the matter Obamabird did hasn't regurgitated into your mouth yet? And instead Obamabird turned around and took a huge dump of bird (brain) sh!t into your mouth after borrowing more money from the Chinese at 7% Interest.

WHO DO YOU THINK IS PAYING FOR THE US AERIAL REFUELING, US INTELLIGENCE (Hint: Research Special Surveillance, Special Reconnaissance, Intelligence Verifications, etc. again the Obama LIE "No Boots on the Ground" (Combatants).), US MILITARY PERSONNEL, SUPPORT (food, water, etc.) FOR THE US MILITARY PERSONNEL, etc..

All this crap at Mali, Algeria, Tunisia, etc. are President Obama's Fault. By supporting the "Libyan Rebels" of the Fundamentalist Islamic Al Quada Saudi Arabia (AQ), Al Quada Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Quada Syria (AQS), Al Quada Yemen (AQY), Hezbollah, Al Quada Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), that went to Libya to Murder US Ally President Gaddaffi the Collaborator to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers; release the President Obama Guantanamo Prisoners transfered to US Ally President Gaddaffi's Prisons; Seize the Decades of Weapons, Ammunition from US Ally President Gaddaffi's Munitions Depots (to then attack the rest of Africa)*; Control the Strategic Libyan Oil since President Obama's Failed Foreign Policies lost the Iraqis Oil to the Chinese and Russian Federation; making the other African Nations Resources (like Algeria) of Strategic Importance to the US European Allies after the loss of the Libyan Oil to the Allies of Iran, the Chinese (as negotiated by Qatar with President Obama's "Libyan Rebels").

*a previous "I told you so". Verified by SOS Clinton:

She did say that there is no doubt that Algerian terrorists have weapons they obtained from depots in Libya that were opened up and "liberated" after the dictator Moammar Gadhafi was toppled, with U.S. and NATO help, in 2011.

They then became Ansar Al Shariah to protect and instate Fundamentalist Islamic Shia (Sharia) Law as the Rule of Law for the Islamic Nation of Libya.

The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group were previously killing US Military at Iraq, became the Libyan Government.

President Obama and Vice President Biden during the Reelection Campaign Inflamed the over 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers Worldwide with their, "Osama Bin Laden is Dead, GM is Alive".

At many Islamic Nations the over 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers respond with "Obama, Obama, We Are All Osama". And they believe that the Great Satan (US), President Obama has just declared War on Islam, as "Obama War Against Islam".This is worse than the violence of the Pastor Threatening to Burn the Holy Koran; Worse than bragging that you murdered the Pope, while still at Italy; Worse than any cartoons of Mohammad; etc.. As Osama Bin Laden was their Greatest Holy Warrior of Islam Superstar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pJGX1JzyFc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udSEcQbM308

Ansar Al Shariah plans the attacks on the US Consulate (not too far away from them, since they started at Benghazi to overthrow US Ally President Gaddaffi) to coincide with their Holy Warrior of Islam Superstar Osama Bin Laden's Greatest Defeat of the Great Satan (US), 9/11.

Summary,

President Obama's Ordered* Overthrow of US Ally President Gaddaffi destabilized the Entire Continent of Africa, as US Ally President Gaddaffi and his Libyan Military were the only one's keeping the Holy Warriors of Islam in check and stuck fighting at Libya, using the money from his sales of Libyan Oil to the US European Allies, and using the lives of the Libyan Citizens of his Libyan Military (part of the deal he made to become a US Ally with SOS Condeleezza Rice).

*Violated the US Law the Restricts and Limits the US Presidential War Power, 1973 War Powers Resolution (Act). Admitting the violation, on behalf of President Obama SOS Clinton apologised to US Congress, "I'm sorry". President Clinton and President Bush had US Laws with US Congressional Appropriations to cover their arses for Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Ally of the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran, the Chinese got the Libyan Oil, not the US European Allies, this makes the other African Nations Resources of Strategic Importance to the US European Allies. Also the Mediterranean Ports of Libya allow the Holy Warriors of Islam closer locations to attack the US European Allies (still considered the "Crusaders" by Islamic Believers). Former US Ally Egypt was Strategic to attack US Ally Libya, also Egypt's Strategic Suez Canal, locations closer to attack US Ally Israel, locations closer to support the Hamas Warlords and Army of Islam Gaza. Former US Ally Iraq was Strategic to gain the Support of the Chinese and Russian Federation (Money for Iraqis Oil, Technology, Weapons, etc. for the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran).

The US and US Allies Losses due to President Obama's Failed Foreign Polices are irreversable and permanent as the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran, Chinese, and Russian Federation are building up their 21st Century Military Forces to secure and protect all their gains from the US And US Allies losses of Strategic Resources Worldwide (required for the current US Standard of Living and the future US Alternative Energy), losses of Strategic Locations Worldwide, and the losses of Vital Strategic US Allies Worldwide.

The Longterm Strategic Goal of the Chinese and Russian Federation has been to get the US and US Allies out of their Backyards (Resources). The Chinese and Russian Federation using the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran as their "Proxy Fighter", the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran using the Holy Warriors of Islam as their "Proxy Fighters" Worldwide.

BEFORE ALL OF YOU START WITH YOUR TYPICAL NAME CALLING, LISTEN TO YOUR PRESIDENT'S ADVICE (from President Obama's 2013 Inaugural Speech):

We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate.

"Defense officials have said a small number of U.S. military personnel were temporarily at the airport in Bamako to deal with the logistics of the airlift of hundreds of French troops and tons of supplies."

French have entered Mali with a bang.

Hope they maintain the momentum unlike in the past, where they entered with a bang and ran away with bigger excuses!

I am hesitant to say/post (nobody wants to bet on losers/cowards): go and go and kill al Qaida connected Islamic extremists.

Now they want help in aerial refueling. Can't the French fight battles on their own?

Jonathon,Alot of people are saying the same thing about us too when it comes to Iraq and Afghanistan.We entered with a bang too!We didn't maintain momentum very well either.That's one of the reasons why we are pulling out now.Taking out the Islamic extremists was also an American goal.The French fighting a battle on their own? really?The U.S won't be able to help the French because, we don't finish fights anymore.We fight for a while,get tired and leave.Sorry but,The truth might hurt a littleon this one.I don't think we really have to worry about getting involved in this conflict.There is not a Republican in office to blame for failure.

wolfhound: Iraq and Afghanistan are the toughest battle zones in the world.

No outsider could hold those places for long.

USSR (currently Russia) had only one battle ground, Afghanistan and are more ruthless. They care two hoots about human rights, killing of innocents and so on. Still they were driven out badly.

It was most foolish of Bush and his team and military advisors to enter into Iraqi war in 2003 while Afghan war was still in full swing.

In Afghanistan, it was again foolish to rely on the biggest backstabbers and most ungrateful Pakistan as an ally. Here India or even Russia as an ally would have produced better results.

Still we fought so many years in two battle zones. This is a consolation.

Probably only battle in Afghanistan would have delivered better results with lesser losses.

The major problems in the US are: some of the most corrupt politicians sold out to corporate interests and very dumb top military people.

Before entering into wars, at least they should study places very well and know the strengths and weak points.

Let us move on learning from the past bitter experiences and let us not repeat them again.

For this reason, I am against intervention in Syria and removing sanctions on Iranian oil.

Let Shiites and Sunnis handle their own battles.

Let us be miles away from the most ungrateful and backstabbing ones.

wolfhound27 - That's one of the reasons why we are pulling out now.

Do you want to KNOW the REAL Reasons (Causative Timeline):

A. It was President Obama's Failed Foreign Policies, as seen by the Ayatollahs of Iran as the US negotiating from a position of US Defeat, (youtube.com, whitehouse.gov. actual speeches)

B. that caused the Ayatollahs of Iran to Increase their Overt and Covert Activities Worldwide against the US (Great Satan) and US Allies Worldwide. (Ayatollahs response to President Obama's Policies at youtube.com, Al Jazeera, FARS, BBC, etc.).

C. The Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran had to get the US and US Allies Kicked out of the Islamic Shia Nation of Iraq to: 1. Stop being stuck between the US and US Allies Military Forces (Iraq and Afghanistan)., 2. No possible US and US Allies Military Forces interventions of Iran's Special Forces, Quds, training arming funding millions of Holy Warriors of Islam at the Fundamentalist Islamic Autonomous Kurdistanis Region of Northern Iraq.

The Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran tells the Islamic Shia Nation of Iraq, No more Negotiations with President Obama nor SOS Clinton for the US to remain at Iraq, or Iran will use the Iranian Military and Islamic Jihadists (Fundamentalist Islamic Autonomous Kurdistanis Region) to Overthrow the Iraqis Government. The US Ally Government of the Islamic Shia Nation of Iraq tells President Obama about what Iran is threatening as Iraq really does not have a Iraqis Military anymore and must rely on the US, so does the CIA, President Obama ignored them. US gets kicked out of Iraq regardless of President Obama's and SOS Clinton's repeated attempted negotiations for the US to remain at Iraq.

And since it has been the Longterm Strategic Goal of the Allies of the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran, the Chinese and Russian Federation to get the US and US Allies out of their Backyards (Resources), the Chinese and Russian Federation get the Iraqis Oil that could have paid for the US And US Allies Military Liberation of Iraq with Decades to Centuries of Iraqis Oil. This Strategic Loss of World Resources made the Libyan Oil of Strategic Importance to the US European Allies; however President Obama was already outsmarted as thousands of Holy Warriors of Islam had already helped the Fundamentalist Islamic Muslim Brotherhood take over US Ally Egypt and were attacking US Ally Libya to get the Libyan Military Munitions Depots at Benghazi to attack other African Nations.

The Chinese and Russian Federation have been using the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran as their "Proxy Fighter" (in return for Chinese and Russian Federation Technology, Weapons, Votes at the UN, etc.), the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran has been using the millions of Holy Warriors of Islam as their "Proxy Fighters".

US Ally Saudi Arabia, "President Obama gave Iraq to Iran as a Gift on a Golden Platter". US Ally Saudi Arabia is asking the US and Israel to attack Iran before Iran can finish the Iranian Nuclear Attack Proof Underground Facilities, President Obama ignores US Ally Saudi Arabia.

D. At the same time everything else is going on the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran is placing pressure (will use Iranian Military) on the Pakistanis Government, Afghans, etc. to get the US and US Allies OUT. As during the British Empire Era (British Colonies) the British Knew that the Pakistanis Sea Ports, Bases for Logistics, Khyber Pass, etc. at Pakistan were ESSENTIAL and Mandatory for any "British Adventures" at LANDLOCKED Afghanistan. So without these US Military Logistics Bases at Pakistan, the United Nations Mission Afghanistan can only support 30,000 including International Aid Workers; the Unsupported UN, US and NATO Military Forces must abandon US Ally Afghanistan again to be Massacred by the Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban once again; just like after the US abandoned the 1980s US Ally Pro US Afghan Muhajeen to be massacred by the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban fully backed by the USSR Backed Fundamentalist Islamic ShiaRepublic of Iran, then without any opposition they massacred any suspected Collaborators to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers in accordance with Fundamentalist Islamic Laws. The 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban then destroyed 20th Century US Ally Afghanistan, destroying anything, "Western", "Modern", "Non Islamic".

So Unsupported without the US Military Logistics Support Bases at Pakistan the UN, US, and NATO Military Forces must leave United Nations Mission Afghanistan by 2014.

E. The Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran, pressured the Afghans to give the Ally of Iran, the Chinese, the Mineral Wealth of Afghanistan. China Metallurgical Group. Immediately afterwards the Chinese place Restrictions on the Shipments of Mineral Resources to the US and US Allies, this makes it so that anything manufactured requiring these Minerals must be Made In China, as the opportunity for the Chinese to adopt (steal) any or all US And US Allies Technology and Innovations and to improve the Chinese Economy.

General McChrystal was pissed as he found out that the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran was training, arming, funding millions of Holy Warriors of Islam at the Autonomous Kurdistanis Region, and many are showing up at Afghanistan. And that President Obama is demanding that General McChrystal implement the Obama Plan to Win Afghanistan (a War Plan taken from General McKiernan after President Obama had General McKiernan Tender His Letter of Resignation for asking for 90,000 US Military to implement the General McKiernan War Plan to Win Afghanistan), General McChrystal requests 90,000 US Military after President Obama promised US Congress "Anything he (General McChrystal) Needs". President Obama refuses the 90,000 (minimum number required to succeed, based on ratios to known numbers of Taliban, Al Quada, Islamic Jihadists, Foreign Fighters) and gives General McChrystalonly 30,000 as 1/3rd of the required. The President Obama War Plan to Win Afghanistan failed miserably, with many unnecessary deaths especially of US Ally Canada's Military. Also while giving General McChrystal 30,000 US Military, President Obama sent his US Civilian Surge(s) of hundreds of thousands of overpaid too expensive US Civilians, requiring most of the US Military to be diverted from Combat to do Guard Duty for the US Civilians Hotels. These US Civilians then start demanding as their "Rights" BurgerKing, Mexican Food, Pizzia, Baskin Robbins, KFC, etc. while refusing to eat at the US Military Dining Facilities that the US Civilians operate; further straining the limited Logistics Support available to General McChrystal.

The US Civilians as President Obama Political Appointees on General McChrystal's "High Level Staff" start saying, "This Administration Does Not Know What It Is Doing".

F. International Intelligence Agencies and US Ally President Gaddaffi report, "Increased Al Quada Activities". US Ally President Gaddaffi reports this thru the US Department of State channels previously established by SOS Condoleezza Rice.

President Obama ignores the warnings, just like President Obama ignored the US Ally President Mubarak's warning of "Increased Al Quada Like Activities", ignored the US Ally President Saleh's warning of "Increased Al Quada Activities", etc. (more US Allies Established Government that were later Overthrown).

US Ally President Gaddaffi has his Libyan Military start attacking the Holy Warriors of Islam that are at Libya to Kill US Ally President Gaddaffi the Collaborator to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers, seize the Libyan Military Munitions (weapons, ammunition) Depots at Benghazi to support their future attacks throughout Africa and the "Middle East", release the President Obama Guantanamo Prisoners transfered to US Ally President Gaddaffi's Prisions, and seize 20,000 portable shoulder launched SA-7 Anti Aircraft Missiles to shoot down US Airlines to "Cripple the US Economy"*.

*Stated mission of the CIA at US Consulate Benghazi to find and recover the 20,000 SA-7 anti aircraft missiles.

President Obama starts the name calling of the US Allies as "Dictators", "Dictators Killing Their Own People" etc. then withdraws all US Support, US Assistance, and US Funding from these US Allies.

During an arguement with Senator Lieberman, President Obama Officially Confirmed our presence at Redacted to the International News Media as one of what Senator Lieberman called one of President Obama's Secret Wars that are Illegal (no US Law) Unfunded (no US Congressional Appropriations); immediately after President Obama's Official Confirmation, Al Quada offers a Reward for proof of our deaths. General Petraeus immediately recalls us back to Afghanistan.

G. President Obama as Commander In Chief Illegally Orders*the US Military to attack US Ally Libya to support the "Libyan Rebels" of Al Quada Saudi Arabia (AQ), Al Quada Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Quada Syria (AQS), Al Quada Yemen (AQY), Hezbollah, Al Quada Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), etc. that went to Libya to Murder US Ally President Gaddaffi the Collaborator to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers ("Collaborators Must Die a Horrible Murdering to Dwell in that Firey Place"); they become Ansar Al Shariah to protect and instate Fundamentalist Islam at Libya.

*Illegally as in against US Law, that Restricts and Limits the President's War Powers, 1973 War Powers Resolution (Act). And no US Law (therefore Illegal) with US Congressional Appropriations (therefore Unfunded) like President Clinton and President Bush had to cover their arses.

The USN launches Ship and Submarine launched Cruise Missiles as the First Attacks against US Ally Libya with terminal guidance by US Military Asymmetric Warfare "Boots on the Ground" attached to the CIA's SAD/SOG (Obama LIE, "No Boots on the Ground")*. The US Allies and NATO are hesitant to get involved, with US Ally Germany refusing to participate Militarily. The USN Aircraft Carrier Strike Group launches airstrikes, as some of the US Allies ships are just getting to range of US Ally Libya. The US (US Citizens) Funds the other NATO Military Forces after they ran out of Fuel, Bombs, Cruise Missiles, etc.. US Ally President Gaddaffi attempts to escape and the US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces attached to the CIA's SAD/SOG terminally guide a MQ (Armed Drone) to attack US Ally President Gaddaffi's SUV Convoy. US Ally President Gaddaffi hides in a drainage conduit and is found, beaten and murdered.

*Congressional Hearings, Testimony, US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces attached to CIA's SAD/SOG at Libya since February.

Ansar Al Shariah seized the Libyan Military Depots (decades of weapons and ammunition including SA-7 anti aircraft missiles) to attack other African Union (UA) Nations. Hight Razma Depot on the eastern outskirts of Benghazi, Depot at eastern outskirts of Ajdabiyah, etc..

The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group were killing US Military at Iraq, they became the Libyan Government as supported and recognized by President Obama.

H. President Obama and Vice President BidenInflamed the over 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers Worldwide with their, "Osama Bin Laden is Dead, GM is Alive". (youtube.com)

At many Islamic Nations the over 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers respond with "Obama, Obama, We Are All Osama". As they believe that the Great Satan (US), President Obama has just declared War on Islam, chanting "Obama War On Islam". This is worse than the violence of the Pastor Threatening to Burn the Holy Koran; Worse than bragging that you murdered the Pope, while still at Italy; Worse than any cartoons of Mohammad; etc.. As Osama Bin Laden was their Greatest Holy Warrior of Islam Superstar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pJGX1JzyFc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udSEcQbM308

Ansar Al Shariah plans the attacks on the US Consulate (not too far away from them, since they started at Benghazi to overthrow US Ally President Gaddaffi) to coincide with Osama Bin Laden's Greatest Defeat of the Great Satan (US), 9/11.

During the over 7 hour Attack President Obama as Commander In Chief refuses to us any of the US Military Forces of US AFRICOM located less than 2 hours away by slow propeller driven C-130s or US Military Helicopters. A unarmed RQ (drone) is sent instead of a MQ(armed drone) or AC-130 with the munitions capable of being terminally guided by the Ex USN SEALs of the US Ambassador.

The Commander of US AFRICOM, General Ham, volunteers the US Military Forces of US AFRICOM to rescue the US Citizens at Libya during the attack, President Obama opposes and demands that General Ham submit his Letter of Resignation and go on Retirement, just like President Obama did to General McKiernan (Commander ISAF Afghanistan), General McChrystal (Commander ISAF Afghanistan after General McKiernan), etc..

US Citizens at the US Consulate of Benghazi are murdered by Ansar Al Shariah. SOS Clinton states, "Funding not the issue", take a guess what the "issue" was (hint: who not what, as Ordered "Low US Presence at Libya"while the US Ambassador and LTC Wood stated since February increased US Military (not Libyan) Security.).

Ansar Al Shariah goes to Algeria, Tunisia, then attack Mali.

Presidential Candidate Romulan during the Presidential Debates mentions Mali, President Obama is caught like a "Deer in the Headlights" (blank stare of ignorance, knows nothing).

I. US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces previously after years of consecutive tours at Afghanistan while on R&R, Leaves, at CONUS and on Training Status are pulled off of R&R and Leaves and sent to US AFRICOM, and arrive long before the FBI. We told those that were creating US AFRICOM to learn Arabic and Islam; and NOT some obscure African Languages. After securing certain things at Libya given to Redacted, the US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces are Ordered deployed back to Afghanistan, instead of going back on R&R, Leaves and Training Status.

Jonathan-1982062 - USSR (currently Russia) had only one battle ground, Afghanistan and are more ruthless. They care two hoots about human rights, killing of innocents and so on. Still they were driven out badly.

The USSR lost because just like you the USSR did not understand the concepts of Asymmetric Warfare and only comprehended USSR Conventional Warfare. And do not even attempt to tell me I don't know, as I survived Operation Cyclone.

Jonathan-1982062 - It was most foolish of Bush and his team and military advisors to enter into Iraqi war in 2003 while Afghan war was still in full swing.

Again, you do not know. That was NOT up to Bush nor the the US Military; that was US Congress demanding that President Bush accomplish US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein, in accordance with President Clinton's US Law, H.R.4655, Section 3 US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein. By the way "Regime Change", "Overthrow" is just another way of Declaring War on A Nation; just like if the Chinese or Russian Federation declared as their Policy to Overthrow President Obama.

President Clinton's US Law, H.R.4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" Section 2 Justificatins (Findings) WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, Section 3 US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1057063/posts

The US had been at War (US Military Actions, Overt and Covert) with Iraq since 1998 US Military Operation Desert Fox. As demanded and ordered by President Clinton being lobbied by the Jewish Lobby, Monika Lewinsky, giving President Clinton blow jobs.

Jonathan-1982062 you know NOTHING about the connection and relationship between Afghanistan and Iraq.

LIKE I SAID BEFORE MOST OF YOU REFUSE TO EVEN LISTEN TO THOSE WITH FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE (Survived the Events). INSTEAD YOU WANT TO POST YOUR ARSINE NON FACTUAL OPINIONS.

david...do you really think anyone is going to take the time to read that entire ridiculous diatribe? Ever hear of Cliff Notes?

Go take your meds.

Leave the gun, take the cannoli - david...do you really think anyone is going to take the time to read that entire ridiculous diatribe? Ever hear of Cliff Notes? Go take your meds.

TYPICAL DEMONCRAP UNEDUCATED NOTHING TO ADD TO THE DISCUSSION HYPOCRITE, LACK OF ATTENTION SPAN THAT REFUSES TO LISTEN TO THEIR OWN PRESIDENT'S ADVICE:

From President Obama's 2013 Inaugural Speech:

We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate.

And typical child like behavior interrupting the discussion between Adults (post addressed to wolfhound27, not your uneducated arse).

You want "Cliff Notes", very short for you, Uranus.

david: By your own contradictory and nonsense posts, you are proving yourself to be some sort of mental patient!

david...'fraid I gotta agree with Jon on this one...I don't see any "name calling" in my comment, but I do see a whole lotta name-calling and junior-high behavior in yours.

Like I suggested before, go take your meds.

Frances Aircraft, that's who. A NATO Nation.

Also I love how everyone loves to assume that our whole debt belongs to China. In fact we owe them like 3% of our whole debt.

gene

after all we contemplating send F16's to Egypt

They already have over 200 f-16's. That had been sold to them stating with Reagan and last ones from Bush. I do agree we should not sell them anymore.

I hope the younger generation doesn't mind paying the Chinese back for the loan we'll need to purchase the fuel for these sorties.

How do you know that the French aren't paying for the fuel?

They said that there was no WMD, and that it would be a very bad idea to invade Iraq.

But they help in Afghanistan, and they helped in the first Iraq War, and all other conflicts except Vietnam...

French and British track records in Iraqi wars and Afghan war are disgusting.

With 1991 Iraqi war, we saved Kuwaiti ruler with 65 wives at one time and Saudi Arabia's House of Saud by stationing the US forces with out Bible.

Later, the same Kuwaiti rulers did not oblige NATO forces in Iraqi war II when NATO forces requested a small help.

Instead, oil rich Sunni rulers of House of Saud, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and others manipulated oil prices to more than $140 a barrel using Iraqi wars as excuses.

Now similar jokes are being repeated by the ungrateful and backstabbing oil rich Sunni rulers by manipulating oil prices from $40 in 2009 to more than current $110 by managing sanctions on Iranian oil.

It seems Iranians have dangerous WMDs and Paki nukes are flowers!

Here there are many politicians in the US (John McCain is a disgusting one here) who dance as directed by oil rich Sunni rulers, oil companies and their lobbyists.

Rafal,,You are wrong about VIET NAM.Viet Nam was a French colony before WW2.The Japanese annexed VietNam after the French surrender in 1940.The French went back to VietNam to reclaim the colony after WW2 but instead,they found a leader who wanted freedom for his country and was ready to fight for it.(his name was HO CHI MIN)The French lost the battle of dien bien phu.(look it up)After that disaster the Americans started getting invovled.!st with advisers.Then with armed security groups to protect the adviser.Then we started aircraft bombing.Finally the U.S was sending advisors or by the Battalion.

I thought I read somewhere the Legion helped in the early 60's also?

Those a$$holes in dc want to take programs away from retireries but continue to take care of the world!!

wolfhound,

I don't understand, where I was wrong ? And you don't have to lecture me about the French in Indochina.

I just said that the French didn't help in Vietnam. Because, after their disastrous Indochina war, they thought it would have been a very bad idea. And they were right about it, just like they were right about this moronic invasion and occupation of Iraq...

wolfhound27,

Get the History correct.

After the Japanese Unconditional Surrender of WWII, the United Nations (League of Nations) demanded that the US, Canadian, Australian, etc. Military Forces hold French Indochina until the French could reoccupy their Former French Colony (so yes, prior to WWII "Vietnam" was a French Colony).

During French Indochina the French Military were successful, including driving the Vietminh to the Vie Bach Mountains (Border of China). For Political reasons, to enhance the career of a French General the successful French General that was winning was replaced. The French then started losing significant losses of Strategic Terrain (all their previous gains). The CIA as the successor to the OSS (dealta lot withthe previous French Underground "Resistance" during WWII) sided with the French, and not Ho Chi Minh (Oriental, Prejudice against Orientals from WWII Japanese as the "Yellow Peril"). The French start their programmed destruction of anything "Vietnamese" and institution of French Only, causing more Vietnamese to join the Vietminh.

The missed opportunity of the CIA to have Ho Chi Minh on the side of the US, became an opportunity for China and the USSR.

After all the significant losses (almost half of French Indochina) by the incompetent Politically Appointed French General, the French formed the Fortifications at Dien Bien Phu (numerous interconnected French Firebases inside of a valley*) to defend a strategic cross roads.

*same dumbsh!t thing the USSR 40thArmy did at Afghanistan, with many of the former USSR bases later occupied by the US Military and ISAF.

The US is providing Fighter Aircraft and US Pilots to provide CAS(Close Air Support, Air to Ground Attacks), lots of US Military Equipment (including tanks) and Transport Aircraft with US Pilots to Dien Bien Phu. The French ideato hold Dien Bien Phu until after the Peace Talks, as if they can hold Dien Bien Phu, then France retains French Indochina as a French Colony.

This does not happen, as because Dien Bien Phu is inside a valley, the Vietminh, from the surrounding mountain ridges siege Dien Bien Phu, including taking apart artillery and reassembling the artillery on top of the mountain ridges (reverse mountain ridge warfare). The French attempted many up the sides of mountain ridge assaults that ended up as failures to stop the Vietminh artillery raining large barrages of fires on Dien Bien Phu.

Additionally, to the Artillery the Vietminh had disassembled heavy anti aircraft cannons and reassembled them on the mountain ridges making the resupply by US Aircraft flown by US Pilots impossible, the first US as Boots on the Ground (Combatants) were the US Pilots shot down and ending up at Dien Bien Phu (this is similar to what we did to the USSR 40th Army Occupation during Operation Cyclone, disassembling USSR 57mm and 23mm anti aircraft cannons and reassembling them on Afghan Mountain ridges to shoot down SU-25s and Hind Attack Helicopters).

After the French "Lost" French Indochina, they still retained the French Rubber Tree Plantations (usually guarded by the former French Foreign Legionaries). The Rubber of French Indochina was one of the reasons that the Japanese, French, US, etc. wanted "Vietnam" as a Strategic Resource (substitution of Oil Based Plastics or Synthetic Rubber for the many Rubber Based Products had not occurred yet). The French Military had lost most of their Military Experts and Combat Veterans from Algeria prior to, and during Dien Bien Phu.

The US starts "War Creep" first with the Advisers to the Republic of Vietnam, then Combatants, etc. as to why to stop future "War Creep" US Congress created US Law, 1973 War Powers Resolution (Act).

Note. Those Advisers did not need nor have US Military as Security, as the start of the "Green Berets" (US Army Special Forces, as the FID (Foreign Internal Defense) Mission).

Everyone at the US first starts up with the Academic Idealistic "Democracy" versus "Communism", just like the recent "Democracy" versus "Dictatorship" (realize this was shortly after the 1950s McCarthy Era "Red Threat", "Better to be Dead than Red" and the United Nation's Korean Conflict South Korea "Democracy" versus North Korea "Communism"). Many Americans then start demanding US non involvement (primarily to save their own skins) abandoning their "Democracy" versus "Communism"; most US Citizens, US Military, US Politicians have NO idea about Asymmetric Warfare Vietnam and only the Conventional Warfare of World War II (still the case today with Asymmetric Warfare Afghanistan, when you see those Uneducated posts saying "Nuke", "Carpet Bomb", "Napalm", Abandon US Allies, etc.).

Rafal W - They said that there was no WMD, and that it would be a very bad idea to invade Iraq.

Who are the Uneducated "They" of your "They said".

Go research Sargat Iraq.

Add to post #5.8

President Clinton's 1998 State of the Union Address:

Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. The United Nations weapons inspectors have done a truly remarkable job, finding and destroying more of Iraq's arsenal than was destroyed during the entire gulf war. Now, Saddam Hussein wants to stop them from completing their mission. I know I speak for everyone in this chamber, Republicans and Democrats, when I say to Saddam Hussein, "You cannot defy the will of the world", and when I say to him, "You have used WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION before; we are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again.

President Clinton's US Law, H.R.4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" Section 2 Findings:

The Congress makes the following findings:

• (1) On September 22, 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, starting an 8 year war in which Iraq employed chemical weapons against Iranian troops and ballistic missiles against Iranian cities.
• (2) In February 1988, Iraq forcibly relocated Kurdish civilians from their home villages in the Anfal campaign, killing an estimated 50,000 to 180,000 Kurds.
• (3) On March 16, 1988, Iraq used chemical weapons against Iraqi Kurdish civilian opponents in the town of Halabja, killing an estimated 5,000 Kurds and causing numerous birth defects that affect the town today.
• (4) On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded and began a 7 month occupation of Kuwait, killing and committing numerous abuses against Kuwaiti civilians, and setting Kuwait's oil wells ablaze upon retreat.
• (5) Hostilities in Operation Desert Storm ended on February 28, 1991, and Iraq subsequently accepted the ceasefire conditions specified in United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 (April 3, 1991) requiring Iraq, among other things, to disclose fully and permit the dismantlement of its weapons of mass destruction programs and submit to long-term monitoring and verification of such dismantlement.
• (6) In April 1993, Iraq orchestrated a failed plot to assassinate former President George Bush during his April 14-16, 1993, visit to Kuwait.
• (7) In October 1994, Iraq moved 80,000 troops to areas near the border with Kuwait, posing an imminent threat of a renewed invasion of or attack against Kuwait.
• (8) On August 31, 1996, Iraq suppressed many of its opponents by helping one Kurdish faction capture Irbil, the seat of the Kurdish regional government.
• (9) Since March 1996, Iraq has systematically sought to deny weapons inspectors from the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) access to key facilities and documents, has on several occasions endangered the safe operation of UNSCOM helicopters transporting UNSCOM personnel in Iraq, and has persisted in a pattern of deception and concealment regarding the history of its weapons of mass destruction programs.
• (10) On August 5, 1998, Iraq ceased all cooperation with UNSCOM, and subsequently threatened to end long-term monitoring activities by the International Atomic Energy Agency and UNSCOM.
• (11) On August 14, 1998, President Clinton signed Public Law 105-235, which declared that `the Government of Iraq is in material and unacceptable breach of its international obligations' and urged the President `to take appropriate action, in accordance with the Constitution and relevant laws of the United States, to bring Iraq into compliance with its international obligations.'.
• (12) On May 1, 1998, President Clinton signed Public Law 105-174, which made $5,000,000 available for assistance to the Iraqi democratic opposition for such activities as organization, training, communication and dissemination of information, developing and implementing agreements among opposition groups, compiling information to support the indictment of Iraqi officials for war crimes, and for related purposes.

BASED ON THE UNEDUCATED NEWSVINE POSTS THE "They" are the Uneducated Demoncraps.

Note: Do not even say that H.R.4655 (Amended) does not include the Use of US Military Force to Overthrow President Hussein, as evidenced by President Clinton's Failed 1998 Operation Desert Fox that resulted in the over 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers condemning the US as the Great Satan.

Panetta is in discussions with the French to move some of our troops from other areas of Africa to Mali. It's not just fuel, never is.

@jeff sutter: Are you sincere or sarcastic?

and oil/gas companies stealing from our pockets with high manipulated gas prices.

France is not trying to recolonize Mali. But with the Islamists trying to carve out a new caliphate for themselves from which to export jihad, they thought it was in the best interests of the West to intervene.

1. Social Security Trust Funds

U.S. debt holdings: $2.67 trillion

2. U.S. Federal Reserve

U.S. debt holdings: $1.659 trillion

3. China

U.S. debt holdings: $1.169 trillion

4. Savings Bonds & Other Investors

U.S. debt holdings $1.102 trillion

5. Japan

U.S. debt holdings: $1.083 trillion

6. Pension Funds

U.S. debt holdings: $903.4 billion

7. Mutual Funds

U.S. debt holdings: $797.9 billion

8. State and Local Governments

U.S. debt holdings: $444.6 billion

9. Medicare Trust Funds

U.S. debt holdings: $324.57 billion

10. Depository Institutions

U.S. debt holdings: $286.3 billion

11. Oil Exporters

U.S. debt holdings: $254.5 billion

12. Insurance Companies

U.S. debt holdings: $253.7 billion

13. Brazil

U.S. debt holdings: $237.4 billion

14. Caribbean Banking Centers

U.S. debt holdings: $224.8 billion

15. Taiwan

U.S. debt holdings: $184.4 billion

Biggest Holders of US Gov't Debt

As the U.S. government spends an unprecedented amount of money to fix the economy, there is an equally great need to raise the cash to pay for it. This is accomplished through borrowing, whereby Uncle Sam sells Treasury securities of varying maturity.

For investors, government bills, notes and bonds are considered safe because they have a guaranteed rate of return, based on faith in future U.S. tax revenues. The government has been partially funding operations via Treasury securities for decades.

This borrowing adds to the national debt, which has recently surpassed $15.7 trillion and is rising every second. The amount of debt is quickly approaching the federal debt ceiling, a legal limit to borrowing that currently stands at $16.4 trillion.

Much of that debt is held by private sector, but about 45 percent is held by public entities, including parts of the government. Here's who owns the most. Foreign countries listed include both private and public investors, according to monthly U.S. Treasury data.

By Paul ToscanoUpdated 31 May 2012

Here is the breakdown bt individual countries.

http://www.statisticbrain.com/us-debt-holding-countries/

I think you commented on the wrong article.

Ed, you're missing the point. It's not about the French. It's about Mali and Islamist fundamentalist wing-nuts. I'd rather have the French Foreign Legion kick their @$$'s back into a sand dune, than allow them to establish another Taliban-like freak show and starting planning to blow up NY again....if a few tanker loads of gas facilitate that, they should have at it.

Why do we help them?

Why? Because it is in our best interests to do so. The last time an entire nation became a terrorist safe home (Afghanistan), the result was 9/11 and a war that we're still fighting. If the French are willing to do our dirty work because they feel that they have a historical responsibility to Mali, great! The least we can do is supply three refueling tankers to support a NATO ally.

Evidently you didn't learn from your mistake the first time, since he involved us in Libya.

It's called baby steps.

Get the public used to this and then when it escalates, people aren't quite as upset. It's the same thing as at the gas pumps.

awabnavi, stay away from the cool-aid. It's interfering with the blood flow to your brain. Oh, and...what in the hello are you TALKING about...? Colonize Mali? Reallaay...? Let me give you three reasons why the answer is NO. NO Taco Bell. NO Chipotle. No Pizza Hut. Boom. Done. Howzat for a modern colonization scheme?

Rationalization for your beliefs, that all that you have stated. France does not deserve our aid, member of NATO or not. All they have ever done, historically, is cut and run at the first chance. It happened in Vietnam. It happened in Cambodia. And it happened throughout Indochina. Why do you think this will be any different?

2000 years of history say you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. The French have gotten in to countries, gotten the job done, and gotten out numerous times over the last 30 years. You can thank the French, specifically Charles Martel at the battle of Tours, that Europe isn't Muslim today. I suggest you read more.

Kris is absolutely correct. Tammy hasn't a clue about history or France.

Chirac was a personal friend of Sadam Hussain. He got benefited by him.

As for IndoChina, France fought the Viet Minh alone for years before being forced out in 1954. Of course, they had a different motive for fighting, they wanted to reimpose their colonial control. We didn't agree so we didn't help them. The French produce valiant soldiers, they have suffered because their officers and civilian planners didn't know what they were doing.

Tammy, pick up a basic history book. The United States would still be a British Colony if it weren't for MAJOR French assistance during the Revolutionary War.

Kris...excellent posts and spot on!

DSP - CAPT/USNR

to respond to Kris and cannoli, I HAVE read my history. Unfortunately, Tours was the last time the French actually won an engagement. And they were Franks, not yet French. Subsequent to that, other than a decade or so under a little Sardinian weasel named Bonaparte, they've been thumped by pretty much everyone, including the Mexicans. Agincourt, Crecy, War of 1870, thump, thump, thump. Puebla...Mexican thump. Dien Bien Phu, Viet Mihn thump. Hopefully the French Foreign Legion officer corps has learned something since Dien Bien Phu or Mali could prove embarrassing.

Howzat for a track record? Although their navy did save OUR @$$ at Yorktown.... as Tracey observed above.

Every situation is different and political agendas change but I see and understand your point. But still better to have another country take the lead in international affairs especially the past affiliation of the French with Mali and Algeria. The USA doesn't need to be actively involved in every incident or take the lead unless beneficial to America first.

It is called taking a baby step so that when Obama does involve our already overutilized troops you won't be so surprised.

Good points! Common sense approach.