Karzai plans to beat us to the exits
The Stars & Stripes in an Associated Press article says that President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai claims his National Police and Army are ready to take over security operations right now if NATO decides that they want to make an early withdrawal from his shithole country;
There are questions, however, about the ability of the Afghan forces to secure the country.
The Afghan army has grown to 184,676 soldiers, and the country’s police force now numbers 146,339 officers – putting them just short of the planned number of 352,000 members. But critics say the rapid expansion has not significantly improved their ability to plan and conduct operations without support from foreign forces in terms of logistics, air support and medical evacuations.
Furthermore, the number of Afghans leaving the army has remained stubbornly high, with 27 percent of troops either deserting or not re-enlisting despite the higher salaries offered.
The only thing I can think to explain his sudden invitation for us to leave is that his financial adviser has told him that he’s packed away enough in his 401k that he can comfortably retire. Certainly, he can’t be looking forward to depending on his own forces for his own security, let alone that of his entire country.
In an LA Times story, in the Helmand Provence, even with a large contingent of US forces, it’s the wild west outside Camp Leatherneck there;
But today, the Americans confront an enemy still capable of absorbing punishing hits and then turning around to attack when it suits them, including the assassination of Afghan politicians and security officials. If the Americans hope another year of training will result in Afghan security forces strong enough to push the Taliban back, the militants appear to believe today belongs to them, and tomorrow, without the Americans, does so even more.
So, Karzai must have a card he’s not showing, because his head will remain attached to his shoulders about 30 seconds after we leave if he stays in Afghanistan.
Category: Terror War
I agree with “…his financial adviser has told him that he’s packed away enough in his 401k that he can comfortably retire.” Once we leave, there will be such a vacuum that Karzai (and anyone smart) will leave the country and live the rest of their days in “retirement”. I predict the Taliban will gain another stronghold once we leave, as the Afghani’s simply aren’t prepared to follow through on their own security.
Once we leave Karzai will be living comfortably somewhere in exile.
Excellent. Let’s begin chartering the aircraft immediately.
I firmly believe Karzai will ask for room on a C130 taking the last of our troops home. :p
Anybody old enough to remember all the gold that flew out of Saigon in the early-mid 70s?
It is my firm belief that Kharzai will beat feet right before or right after we leave. His days are numbered once we are gone and no longer protecting him.
Maybe he can hire some drunk and/or stoned contractors to cover his escape. :p
Fuck Karzai, See ya chump. How long before the Taliban are playing Buzkashi with his head?
Maybe the card he’s not showing is Chinese….at some point in this chess game over the middle east it makes sense for China to become a player.
The Chinese ROE would be a little different than the US I suspect, if history is any indication of future performance.
VOV #9: I wonder? Not arguing with the merit of your suggestion… Well said!
As much as I would like to see their ROE in play I’m skeptical as well. I do hope you are correct. Sure would stifle the threat pointed west. There’s the rub.
ex AF #5: Yeah. And many other similar.
Let’s get our people out first. Then, we’ll give him a Hercules with a BIG Dollar Symbol painted on its belly and he can have some of his security people fly him out. He won’t get to take off.
@10 I am not sure that China is ready for that yet, but they are certainly making it clear they intend to be a player.
The best argument for continued research into energy independence is that these emerging economies will require more and more fossil fuel to get further. The competition for the resources in the middle east will make that area ever more a part of world events, while it will be wise to be appropriately prepared to respond to those events it is a better position to be prepared and not in need of those resources due to an ability to create your own energy independence. Then the relevance of the middle east is relegated to security not economic necessity. That is a game changing position for the US. One that is worth pursuing as national policy as opposed to just dumping money in “green” companies.
@12
You’re right. That’s why it’s important for us to be intelligently pursuing alternative energies. Emphasis on intelligently.
That way, the second tier nations are busy competing with each other over fuel resources while we ride the tide above that particular fray and keep more of our resources at home. It’s expensive to fight, economically or militarily, over resources.
But, abortions like Solyndra and A123 do nothing to further the goal of alternative energy research, and in fact hurt it because just the thought of such a thing leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths.
VOV #12: Not gonna do proper research for citation just now. A’Stan has non-petroleum minerals in play, I think.
He’d better not show up at my house. He’s had enough handouts from me.
Seriously … Ha ha … he he he … bwaaaah …
That is funnier than watching a Afgan herder attempting to expand his family tree with a goat!
MCPO I beleive you can see that on the share drive. Donkey’s too, the are Allahs chosen people.
One way to cure the deficit, let China pour a crap ton of money in that pit. Then they will have nothing to lend to us. Sell India lots of the Mil hardware, bargain price, and that way we do not have to pay a couple billion in shipping.
Nik, you are spot on. The government is actually good at research when it comes to funding. NASA, research grants, and prize grants for targeted technologies all make it possible to have a national policy in directing research towards specific goals at a fraction of the cost of funding businesses for which there are no markets. Get the technology, the market figures out how to play the technology for profit.
The truth is basised since when/
#18–That’s a friggin outstanding idea (selling a lot of our gear to India instead of paying to ship it home)
Of course it’d be a bit tricky for the stuff that’s too big to airlift, not like Pakistan is gonna br too happy about that one. Maybe airlift what you can, ship the rest to Bahrain or Kuwait until it’s all out of the country, then from there to India…