Leaving Afghanistan is the right thing to do

Voices from both sides of the aisle are already charging that President Obama's plan to begin drawing own troops in Afghanistan is a political ploy to win re-election. They see a man who ran as Anti-War - who escalated one war, and began another in Libya - looking to reestablish his credentials with the Democratic base.

But sometimes we do the right thing for the wrong reasons. It is time to leave Afghanistan. We entered the country with two goals: (1) capture Osama Bin Laden, and (2) punish the Taliban for sheltering and incubating Al Qaeda and the bombers who struck us on 9/11. We have accomplished both of those goals (though Bin Laden died in Pakistan). And we have invested over 10 years and hundreds of billions of dollars in turning Afghanistan from a third-world war-zone into a functional nation state. It is enough. At this point, the Afghani people have to decide their own fate, and a continued American military presence is merely allowing them to put off the hard decisions and the tough compromises needed to knit together their fractured nation.

Many of my Conservative friends will disagree on this. They'll say that without us, Afghanistan will collapse into chaos and the Taliban will rise again. They may even say that without us in Afghanistan, Pakistan may radicalize and transform into a proto-Iran. But there comes a time in every intervention - whether in our personal lives or the world at large - where the object of the intervention needs to stand on its own. Or fall. Unless we're willing to decide that Afghanistan is the 51st state, it is time to go.

Photos of Afghanistan Atrocities Horrify

We have been in Afghanistan far longer than the Russians were, and there is no end in sight. President Obama came into office in hopes of getting us out of Iraq and Afghanistan, but 3 years in we're still there.

Sometimes it takes a true shock to convince people to change the status quo. A rogue team of soldiers that photographed the atrocities they committed may be the catalyst. Warning: Photos on the attached article are deeply disturbing. And there are many more that remain unpublished for now.

It is feared that these pictures - which show the aftermath of the murders at the hands of a rogue U.S. Stryker 'kill team' - could be even more damaging as the trials of the 12 accused men are currently under way in Seattle...

Army officials attempted to keep the photographs under wraps as part of the war crimes probe fearing it could inflame feelings at a time when anti-Americanism in Afghanistan is already running high.

In their statement, the U.S. army said the photographs depicted 'actions repugnant to us as human beings and contrary to the standards and values of the United States Army.

Famous last words, "You've got to stop this war in Afghanistan."

No really. The Washington Post is reporting that these were the last words of Richard C. Holbrooke, President Obama's chief diplomat in Afghanistan. Our final thoughts tend to be those which have haunted us for some time. Clearly, the inner circle is ready for the war to end. But they can't find a way out, which does not make it appear Osama Bin Laden or the Taliban have won.

It is days like these that I am MOST happy I never chose politics as my career.

Will Afghanistan be transformed by mineral wealth?

Afghanistan has for decades been little more than a mountainous no-mans-land where Superpowers do battle. The Soviet Union lost a war there. The United States is now fighting a war there. The geography has done little more than to isolate ethnic tribes and frustrate Western powers. But now, those same mountains may transform the nation.

The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.

There be a great irony if the greatest legacy of the Afghan War is not the vanquishing of the Taliban, but the discover of great wealth to empower a people.

Taliban's answer to women's education - Poison Gas

If you oppose an American military presence in Afghanistan, then you may to work harder to explain your position today after Taliban insurgents used poison gas on a school for girls. This truly exemplifies the idea of the "evil extremist".

Yaqubi said 20 girls had fallen ill in a suspected poison attack on another Kunduz school last week, although it was not until the weekend attacks that the issue caused national alarm.

In the south and east, where the Taliban control towns and villages, schools for girls remain shut, teachers have been threatened and some girls have been attacked with acid.

Despite the attacks, Sumaila said she hoped to return to school, if her father allows her.

Iraqi Hackers crack Military Dones

For now, insurgents have only gained access to the video feeds from drones, but it appears that using off-the-shelf hacking tools they have gained valuable intelligence about American military operations in Iraq. This highlights the fact the age of dual-use technology is not just about making better toys available to the rest of us, but also about putting sub-standard security into some of our military hardware. This needs to be rethought before any war with a "real" enemy.

Senior defense and intelligence officials said Iranian-backed insurgents intercepted the video feeds by taking advantage of an unprotected communications link in some of the remotely flown planes' systems. Shiite fighters in Iraq used software programs such as SkyGrabber -- available for as little as $25.95 on the Internet -- to regularly capture drone video feeds, according to a person familiar with reports on the matter.

U.S. officials say there is no evidence that militants were able to take control of the drones or otherwise interfere with their flights. Still, the intercepts could give America's enemies battlefield advantages by removing the element of surprise from certain missions and making it easier for insurgents to determine which roads and buildings are under U.S. surveillance.

U.S. enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan have used off-the-shelf programs to intercept video feeds from Predator unmanned aircraft.
The drone intercepts mark the emergence of a shadow cyber war within the U.S.-led conflicts overseas.

Inside Look At the Taliban

A very interesting account of a 14-year-old boy who was kidnapped by the Taliban and forced to become a suicide bomber who then escaped. The accompanying video talks about some of the other issues, such as getting people to turn members of the Taliban in, even though they are family. Stories like this need to be spread both here and in Afghanistan.

Perspective is Important

From here.

GWB Sends Thank Yous to Every Soldier Killed in Iraq and Afghanistan

There is plenty to fault President George W. Bush for. The handling of Katrina, the War in Iraq, the economic collapse, the flawed bailouts... the list goes on. But it is important to remember that even in the depth of ones popularity, no president is all wrong. Consider the latest news that the president personally wrote letters to the families of every soldier who died in Iraq and Afghanistan to thank them for their sacrifice.

"I do get a little emotional because it's - I'm genuine when I say I'll miss being the commander in chief," the president told The Times. "I am in awe of our military. And I hold these folks in great respect. And I also sincerely appreciate the sacrifices that their families make."

Whether you agree with the War or not, we need to honor military families who have given the ultimate sacrifice in serving their country. And those who were willing, but did not have to give it. It is impossible to overestimate how much we owe the men and women who have served the country under all manners of commanders and chief.