More troops to Afghanistan
According to Stars & Stripes, Secretary of Defense James Mattis has ordered more troops to Afghanistan in an attempt to end the war there;
The bulk of the new forces ordered to deploy will bolster the U.S. mission to advise and assist Afghan security forces in their fight against the Taliban and other terrorist groups, Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon. Other units that he’s signed orders for include artillery forces and logistical support teams.
“I have signed orders, but it is not complete,” he said. “The fight will still be carried by the Afghan security forces …. by and large this is to enable the Afghan forces to fight effectively.”
Mattis declined to identify what units he ordered to deploy, how many additional troops that he had approved or when they would arrive in Afghanistan. Defense officials said nearly 4,000 new American troops will be added to Afghanistan in the future, raising the U.S. force there to about 15,000.
The media has been speculating about which troops are going, but I’ll just wait until the units are announced.
The media seemed shocked yesterday when they discovered that the actual number of troops deployed to Afghanistan was a few thousand more than they were told by the Obama Administration. I wonder how that happened? They were the most transparent administration in ever.
Category: Terror War
Well, Jonn, they were the most “transparent” Administration ever – as in “transparently clueless”.
But for being transparently mendacious, I still think LBJ and his coterie of enablers have them beat.
Again with your double standard.
Trump has stated he will refuse to release ANY troop numbers.
crickets from you.
Obama administration troop reporting was consistent with how these numbers were reported since at least the Bush administration. Elements there on temporary duty and elements of some special operations forces were NEVER included in troop totals.
When are you going to write that scathing piece about how Trump is wasting taxpayer money on vacations and travel. Regardless of whether he exceeds Obama’s entire eight year term cost in Trump’s first year; it is clear the pace of costs for Trump’s vacations and travel FAR EXCEED Obama’s and Trump WILL exceed Obama’s total bill well within his first term, if he stays in office long enough.
But the REAL issue is that he is PROFITING from these taxpayer costs because he vacations or “works” at his resorts almost every weekend and some weeks. Forcing the secret service and other elements to rent facilities and services from Trump. Costing the taxpayers $3 million every weekend he spend at one of his resorts.
Pull up the waaaahhhhmbulance…
larsyboi is all butthurt again…
Whatever the topic, (Pull string)
“The moonbat says….. TRUUUUUUUUUUUMMMPPP!!!!!!!”
Ain’t that the truth!
Sorry I couldn’t hear you over the Mattis awesome level.
Speaking of double standards….
You said avoiding service was disqualifying for Commander is Chief, example Trump, but never did explain away Berne Sanders multiple deferments, …
And his CO application to avoid service.
If it wasn’t for double standards, you wouldnt have any at all.
Let’s not forget that President Trump has donated $1 million of his own money to the Harvey Relief, how much have Bernie, the Clintons or John “Lurch ” Kerry given so far?
I’m guessing that Trump is probably paying for his vacations out of pocket (at least for himself and his family). How many did the JEF pay for for himself and his family?
Stop being all asshurt, Lars… go find yourself a special snowflake safe space and a box of crayons.
YOU Kommissar are the only “thing” consistant here, you are consistantly FULL OF SHYT!
“… a few thousand more than they were told by the Obama administration.”
Oh, can’t we all just get along? I mean, if you can’t accept bloviation, blustering, babbling birdbrained dialogue and plain old lies, there must be something wrong with you.
But at least the adults are in charge and the commanders are not being micro-managed by 0-clue 0bama.
When you says “adults” you mean James Mattis, H.R. McMaster, and Joseph Dunford right?
Because you sure as shit do not mean Trump.
Odd perspective, since you are the one aroud here with the reputation for frequent tantrums.
He wasn’t talking about you being an adult, Lars…
WTF have you accomplished asshole, besides being a loud mouth, know nothing, do nothing p.o.s. that wouldn’t make a wart on a good walmart door greeters ass!!
The media was used to the SCoaMF providing not only the number of troops, but their mission, oparea, ROE, and departure date.
Thankfully, those days are gone.
Just packed my oldest son up last week to Ft. Hood and then Afghanistan. First deployment for him and first deployment for me as a parent.
1st Cav?
Stories of parents who served there sending their kids there is becoming part of our national discourse.
At least until the first kid born after 9/11 arrives in country.
SCARNG. Det 1 B Co. 2/238th General Support Aviation Battalion. CH-47s. Yeah it’s definitely weird send my kid downrange. He was 6 when 9/11 happened. I managed to somehow not get to Afghanistan during my time but I deployed a couple of times to the desert.
Hey, that’s our unit here in Peoria, Ill. I was out there at the deployment ceremony. Best wishes to him. His CO is good dude and went on the 2013 deployment. If there is anything I can do to help, ask. Also reach out to the FRG, but I am sure you knew that. Hang in there, buddy. I am sure you know more than me about this but still, it’s tough.
FYI, that wasn’t part of the Trump surge.
Andy Kravetz, reporter
Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star
Thanks.
I don’t know how I’d handle seeing A Proud Infidel Junior®™ getting deployed, I came back in after a nine year break in service just to get deployed and fight so his generation wouldn’t have to!
Jonn, I do not think it is accurate to say these troops are to “end the war there.”
4000 additional troops (15,000 total) are not enough to end the war. Not even close.
These 4000 troops are there to keep from losing the war. Which is not the same as ending it.
Not releasing the presence some special operations elements and elements who are there on temporary assignment (often very special operations elements) has been the DOD policy since the beginning of the war.
We do not release these numbers for other places we are fighting as well.
The implication that Obama was not “transparent” is fair, but a little disingenuous when this has been the way the DoD reports the numbers since before Obama took office. Additionally, it is a little odd for you to take issue with his transparency considering that Trump has stated he won’t release any numbers at all. And though we know there are approximately 8000 of these types of “off the book” troop numbers in the Middle East and Syria the Trump administration will not officially comment on those numbers.
Eat shit, asshole.
Really no wiggle room in this response.
Laconicly concise.
Fancy word usage. You use yer mouth prettier than a 10 dollar whore!
Not a bad shot, from a food enhancement of no nutritive value.
Short and to the point, Jonn… tell Lars how you really feel.
Difference being, Obama made “Transparency” a virtual campaign slogan; Trump has not made any such claim that I recall
McButthead, I hope the rest of your day is as pleasant as you are.
” I do not think it is accurate to say these troops are to “end the war there.” ”
You are correct, your statement is inaccurate. but it is accurate to say “… Mattis has ordered more troops to Afghanistan in an attempt to end the war there;”.
No questions more of our troops are there to train the afghani’s how to defend their own country…but the communist prick Kommissar is too stupid to figure that one out..
I ignore everything that Commissar writes so I cannot comment on whatever he said
As an American who never served in the military, but is interested in
Military affairs, I fail to see what 15,000 or even 50,000 more troops will do when 100,000 was not sufficient before
I hate to say it, but it seems that the plan is for continued stalemate
Just enough troops to keep the Afghan government from collapsing
I hate the Taliban but continued spending in American lives and treasure with no plan for victory seems pointless
Just pulling out and abandoning the Afghans who have sided with us is wrong
Eric Prince just offered to take over the job for less than we are spending now
It seems like turning it over to private military contractors is a good idea if we plan for endless war
A small core of western ex special forces leading 3rd world and Afghan troops could be maintained for less than using up our military people and assets
Not a fan of the Eric Prince plan. Sets a very dangerous precedent, hiring people to fight our battles for us (mercenaries), instead of deploying U.S. military. Mercs aren’t under the same regulatory oversight, are politically cheap (making them too easy to use, with little or no public justification) with little or no control over how they do it. Most colonial powers and empires that started using mercs, did it right before they collapsed.
15,000 can accomplish the “mission” as long as it is the right 15,000.
If they are there as advisors, air support, Special Operations, they can help the Afghans fight the battle well enough.
But, the Afghans need to be pushed and prodded to finish the battle. They have the infrastructure, the military organization, and the money to do it, we just need to make sure they follow through. Without that follow through, they’ll fail and we’ll have wasted our time and money.
There will always be Taliban there, regardless. But then even Europe has Al Qaeda and other similar groups functioning in their countries and they are considered “advanced Western society”.
The point is for the Afghans to be self-sustaining and take care of themselves before we leave. We can’t have another Iraq where we leave and have to go back in later because of political election concerns.
“I fail to see what 15,000 or even 50,000 more troops will do when 100,000 was not sufficient before”
Different ROE?
And 3x the number of ANA and ANP than there were in 2009.
But can any of them read a grid? 😉
Can very many of them read, PERIOD? During my tour I was briefed that Afghans had MAYBE a thirty percent literacy rate.
Actually, as a member of the media (granted a small part), the press routinely bashed the Obama White House for going after the press, for being bad on FOI and for not being transparent. In some ways, the Trump administration, though their lunacy is far open than Obama.
As for the numbers, it doesn’t appear that more troops are going but rather more troops were there and the overall number is higher. It appears that Mattis is the one trying to be more open. Which i welcome.
And Peoria has a contingent of 40 Guard members from B, 2-238 AVN going with their six CH-47F Chinooks. that was NOT part of the Trump “surge” but rather, planned about a year ago.
Andy Kravetz, reporter
Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star