Hightower: Why the blank is America "surging" so unquestioningly into Afghanistan?

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WHAT IS OUR MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN?
By Jim Hightower

Excuse me for being impolitic, but why the blank is America "surging" so unquestioningly into Afghanistan?

Not for nothing is that country called "the burial ground of empires," "a guerrilla's paradise" and "the theme park of problems." Yet President Barack Obama insists that America must act now to "stabilize" Afghanistan and its dizzyingly disparate, ethnically fractious, heavily armed tribal factions.

Actually, our military has already been trying to do this for more than seven years. Despite having 36,000 U.S. troops on the ground and spending $2 billion a month, the current situation there is described by our intelligence agencies as in a "downward spiral."

Instead of a whole new approach, however, the president's advisers are giving him the only answer ever offered by the war machine: more.


article: http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/hightower3.3.09.html

[Old and In the Way]

1. I think it is driven by the MIC

There has to be at least 1 war we are engaged in at all times to continue justifying the $500+BB/year Pentagon budget.

[Captain Hilts]

2. It's President Obama's decision. His. nt

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3. I think it has more to do with the mismanagement of the enterprise

It's a stopgap rather than any prep for some future direction.

It may be just a wistful approach, but the administration hopes to develop a comprehensive approach to the conflict which is limited to 'achievable goals'. The increase in troops is meant to suspend the conflict in place in advance of the upcoming elections.

After that, the mission in Afghanistan is expected to focus on border defense with Pakistan and nation-building, working to supplant the military effort with development and aid officials and workers directed by the State Dept. How they manage that transfer of responsibility (along with consequences from the military actions) will characterize our future involvement there.