Bush: Afghanistan is a victory over terrorism

[BoredShirtless]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/15/karzai/index.html

"Coalition forces, including many brave Afghans, have brought America, Afghanistan and the world its first victory in the war on terror," the president said.

Pinch him, he's dreaming. No but seriously what's with the sudden spike in bullshit from the Whitehouse?

[Stuart Mackey]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/15/karzai/index.html

"Coalition forces, including many brave Afghans, have brought America, Afghanistan and the world its first victory in the war on terror," the president said.

Pinch him, he's dreaming. No but seriously what's with the sudden spike in bullshit from the Whitehouse?

Election yearitis.

[Vympel]

The War on Error continues, to rip-off the Daily Show. God I loved that piece they did on that error-filled report they talked up as proof that the US was winning ....

[Crown]

The War on Error continues, to rip-off the Daily Show. God I loved that piece they did on that error-filled report they talked up as proof that the US was winning ....

Anyone else starting to feel sorry for Colin Powell? I wonder why he gets to be the pinada on this (and every other issue) that the Whitehouse has had its ass nailed to the wall on?

[Gil Hamilton]

So this is another "Mission Accomplished", even though the "leader" of Afghanistan is the mayor of Kabul, most of the country is under the control of warlords who could very easily cause major trouble if not for the fact that the tactic has been to let them do their own thing, and the opium trade continues unabated?

[Stormbringer]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/15/karzai/index.html

"Coalition forces, including many brave Afghans, have brought America, Afghanistan and the world its first victory in the war on terror," the president said.

Pinch him, he's dreaming. No but seriously what's with the sudden spike in bullshit from the Whitehouse?

Like it or not, we did a pretty good job of ending it's days as a national sponsor of terrorism. I count that as a victory in my book.

That we haven't tried to put together one of the most fucked up nations in the world by force, only strikes me as wise. We don't need to try because frankly, if the Afghans don't want to unite the US interests aren't served by trying to force them to.

[Durandal]

To be fair, I would count Afghanistan as a victory in the War on Terror, even if it was a victory a couple years ago.

[Vympel]

That we haven't tried to put together one of the most fucked up nations in the world by force, only strikes me as wise. We don't need to try because frankly, if the Afghans don't want to unite the US interests aren't served by trying to force them to.

But you can't just keep a force of several thousand US troops there indefinitely. There's no security there at all.

[Plekhanov]

Afghanistan is arguably a short term victory in the “war on terror” however the lack of follow through and shifting the focus to Iraq means that it’s long term status is very much in doubt as is Afghanistan’s progress to democracy.

In terms of the “War on Drugs” it would seem to be a major defeat for Bush.

[Stormbringer]

That we haven't tried to put together one of the most fucked up nations in the world by force, only strikes me as wise. We don't need to try because frankly, if the Afghans don't want to unite the US interests aren't served by trying to force them to.

But you can't just keep a force of several thousand US troops there indefinitely. There's no security there at all.

But the troops are there right now and will probably be there for a good long time. We still have troops in Germany and Japan nearly sixty years later so I'm not about to drag up future possibilities as a method of impugning the very real victory Afghanistan is.

Afghanistan is arguably a short term victory in the “war on terror” however the lack of follow through and shifting the focus to Iraq means that it’s long term status is very much in doubt as is Afghanistan’s progress to democracy.

Yeah, but I don't think any one is about to start openly housing terrorists there for a long time yet. And the fact is that security and democracy are not linked goals. And only the tripe rehtoric about rebuilding Afghanistan has linked them. So long as the top dogs (in this case the warlords) understand that terrorism is a no no, then secruity is set. Democracy is another matter, and frankly one the US isn't in the position to create. Nor in the end does it really matter. And frankly, it's not in our best interests to try and force it on people that have rejected it.

In terms of the “War on Drugs” it would seem to be a major defeat for Bush.

Considering this is about the War on Terror that doesn't matter much. Nor do I think any one but those that can make polictical capital out of it care.