U.S. drawdown begins in Afghanistan

[babylonsister]

U.S. drawdown begins in Afghanistan
Reuters
By Michelle Nichols | Reuters – 47 mins ago


KABUL (Reuters) - The first U.S. troops have left Afghanistan as part of President Barack Obama's planned drawdown of about a third of the 100,000 U.S. forces there during the next year.

Facing growing political opposition to the nearly decade-old war, Obama announced in June the withdrawal plan, which was a faster timetable than the military had recommended.

The first 10,000 troops will come home by the end of the year, but Obama left the details up to his commanders.

U.S. Lt. Col. Wayne Perry, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), said about 650 troops who had completed their rotation in Afghanistan left on Wednesday as scheduled, and would not be replaced.

"As part of the drawdown the first U.S. troops have left Afghanistan," he said.

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/u-drawdown-begins-afghanistan-114609461.html

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. This is good news. (nt)

[jaxx]

2. Yes. Just as was promised.

K&R

[tekisui]

4. Just barely enough to say just as promised.

When Obama surged with the 33,000, he said we would begin bringing them home in July 2011. About 1,000 will leave this month. No more likely to leave until the end of the year. The rest of the 33,000 not for over another year.

[jaxx]

5. The drawdown is started.

As promised.

[tekisui]

6. 650 of 100,000. That is an impressive start!

[jaxx]

7. Beats the hell out of zero.

[tekisui]

8. I'm not convinced. Watch what happens with contractors:

With President Obama’s announcement of the beginning of a phased withdrawal from Afghanistan, attention naturally turned to the troops coming out, those remaining and how they will fare in the difficult months and years ahead. What continues to pass almost unnoticed about our presence in Afghanistan is the number of private contractors at work there supporting U.S. forces. According to a recent report by the Congressional Research Service there are almost as many contractors in that country as uniformed U.S. personnel (90,000 versus 99,000). When both Iraq and Afghanistan are taken together, there are more contractors (155,000) than military personnel (145,000). In addition, there are thousands more contractors in the Central Command Area of Responsibility (AOR) providing additional support for operations. The President did not mention them at all in his announcement.

(snip)

The number of contractors in Afghanistan actually rose faster than the number of combat forces. A reason for this is that without their support in areas such as logistics and supply chain operations, base construction and operations, base security and maintenance, military forces could not deploy. Similarly, their numbers are likely to decline more slowly than the number of combat troops. Supplies still have to arrive in country, bases will need to be operated and maintained, and vehicles will have to be repaired.

In fact, it is possible that some categories of contractors may even increase as the drawdown progresses. Combat operations will continue and may even intensify. This means there will be an ongoing need for maintenance and repair, intelligence support and supply chain management. But among the troops being withdrawn will be those providing the same functions as some private contractors, what is called combat service support. Since the work will still need to be done, the demand on those categories of private contractors could grow and their numbers in country actually increase. In addition, withdrawing forces creates new demands for similar services as equipment is prepared for shipment out of country, bases must be closed and their contents inventoried and disposed of and continuity of operations maintained.

more: http://www.defpro.com/news/details/25795/?SID=227e15991d7af12605c722e545853456

[jaxx]

9. Contractors aren't US troops.

[tekisui]

10. You're right. Contractors cost the US taxpayer much more, are held

to lower legal standards, and are usually exploited third-world workers.

[jaxx]

11. Hmmmm

[tekisui]

12. Hmmm?

Maybe you missed this eye-opening report from The New Yorker:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/06/06/110606fa_fact_stillman#ixzz1S5RVYJcD

I encourage you to read it.

[jaxx]

13. And?

The discussion is the troop drawdown in Afghanistan has started. Trying to derail the conversation doesn't fly.

[tekisui]

14. And I was responding to your "better than zero" comment.

It is important to expose the propaganda. Obama being able to claim a political victory on a promise is not as important as the reality.

[jaxx]

15. The reality is that the troop drawdown has started.

The rest is spin to ignore the drawdown has started.

[tekisui]

16. Bullshit. I just showed you the drawdown is spin to a continued and

long war.

[jaxx]

17. Uh it's all yours.

[JuniperLea]

24. And starting this process in July is what was promised...

This "all troops are to come home in July" is nonsense made up by... the RW... but used by many.

[tekisui]

28. Who said anything about "all troops to come home in July"?

[JuniperLea]

31. You are alluding to that...

And you have more than once in this thread alone. Please, don't play dumb.

[tekisui]

33. Quote where I have alluded that.

I have said 650 out of 100,000 is peanuts and not significant. It is just enough for Obama to claim that he held his promise. It does nothing towards ending the war.

[frylock]

19. the conversation is about US presence..

you may fall for the BS rebranding, but those of us paying attention aren't buying.

[JuniperLea]

25. No, the conversation is about troop drawndowns...

And the fact that Obama said the drawdowns would BEGIN in July, not that all the troops would be HOME come July.

[frylock]

26. just enough of a "drawdown" to fulfill his "promise" so it can go on the "the list."

just another token gesture.

[JuniperLea]

27. I guess your crystal ball is far better than mine...

I can't see what the future holds, but you are so certain that you're already pitching a fit! Please, do tell, what mastery of the crystal have you learned?

Good morning! I say what a joy it is to look ahead and show you the signs of your future. So much happiness is in store for you the most brilliantly lighted stars are put to shame by the brightness of your light! Oh, happiness what an elusive thing you are, but thank GOD you were born beneath this star!

Drop another coin in the slot and I will tell you more!

[tekisui]

29. No crystal ball needed. They have already said the only troops

to leave in July will be around 1000. It could very well be just this 650.

It has also been admitted that no more will come home until the end of the year, when ostensibly another 9,000 will leave.

[JuniperLea]

30. You're confused... Obama said the drawdown would BEGIN in July...

Not that all the troops who will be coming home will come home in July.

[tekisui]

32. Jesus, can you read?

I never said all would be coming home in July.

I am not confused, not in the least.

I am saying that 650 out of 100,000 is not "substantial" as Obama claimed. I am saying it is token. Only enough for Obama to claim that he has met his promise. Not much of a beginning.

The drawdown, of just the second-surge is set to take over a year. It didn't take nearly that long to get them in. And, Panetta has already said that we will have 70,000 there until the end of 2014.

The larger point is this is all a dog and pony show. The drawdown is not significant, this "start" of it is peanuts. Pure propaganda to claim political victory as if that is the most important thing. I don't give a flying fuck about Obama's reputation or his weak political victories. I care about ending the war. Obama has shown no backbone, willingness or interest in actually ending any of the wars.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tekisui]

35. Fare the well.

I find your (likely intentional) lack of reading comprehension boring.

[frylock]

36. why would i need a crystal ball when i can just use history?

[frylock]

18. and "advise and assist brigades" aren't "combat troops"

but they're still getting greased in iraq.

[JuniperLea]

22. No, he said the drawdown would begin in July...

Important word missing.

[tekisui]

3. While a reduction of 1,000 this month is in the right direction, it is

little more than a token gesture, to make the political promise technically true. It seems that no more will be leaving until the end of the year, when the next 9,000 are presumably leaving. The surge is coming out a helluva lot slower than it went it.

And then there is Panetta who said we will have 70,000 there until the end of 2014.

[Vattel]

20. Long war, getting even longer. Is that what we want?

2014 now seems to be the magic number where we essentially let Afghanistan determine its own fate. Why then? What more do we hope to accomplish that justifies staying until then? What if 2014 rolls around and the Afghans are no more ready to fend for themselves than before? Is Obama willing to allow the collapse of the Afghan government if that is necessary to end our combat mission in 2014? I wish we had a democracy where our leaders would tell us what we need to know to evaluate their policies.

[great white snark]

21. You don't need to be friends or family to greet them at the airport.

A smile and a wave of the flag from a stranger does wonders.

Thanks for this post babylonsister.

[JuniperLea]

23. Good point!

This is something we should all be doing.

[Wait Wut]

37. Wow

I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. With all that is said on this site about the troops and how "supporting" them is just bringing them home, I never hear anyone actually talk about real support. They feel it. It sometimes embarrasses my son, but he would much rather have someone wave a flag and offer a smile than have a Pepsi can thrown at him and called an asshole by some fucked up prick.

Thank you Great White. You made my day. Gonna call my kid this weekend and let him know there are still people on "this" side that still care.

:hug:
:patriot:

[great white snark]

39. We care Wait Wut.

We just, as they say, have a funny way of showing it sometimes.

Much respect to you and your son.

:hug:

:patriot:

[Wait Wut]

40. Damnit.

You actually made me cry real tears. Thank you.

[Cereal Kyller]

42. Dammit, not dam nit

Have you no shame??? :cry:

[Wait Wut]

43. LOL!!

Actually, it is DAMN IT. And, no, not really. :P

[ClarkUSA]

38. Nice to see President Obama kept his promise to start ending another one of Bush's wars.

Ahead of the Pentagon's preferred schedule, I might add.

[Cali_Democrat]

41. The beginning of a 3 year drawdown?

Meanwhile Afghanistan is already the LONGEST war in US history.

Who knew it can take years just to get out of that shit hole?