Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLieutenant Colonel Reports Pentagon Lying about Afghanistan
HOT: Lieutenant Colonel Reports Pentagon Lying about AfghanistanIn the Armed Forces Journal, LT. COL. Daniel Davis writes:
I spent last year in Afghanistan, visiting and talking with U.S. troops and their Afghan partners. My duties with the Armys Rapid Equipping Force took me into every significant area where our soldiers engage the enemy. Over the course of 12 months, I covered more than 9,000 miles and talked, traveled and patrolled with troops in Kandahar, Kunar, Ghazni, Khost, Paktika, Kunduz, Balkh, Nangarhar and other provinces.
What I saw bore no resemblance to rosy official statements by U.S. military leaders about conditions on the ground.
Entering this deployment, I was sincerely hoping to learn that the claims were true: that conditions in Afghanistan were improving, that the local government and military were progressing toward self-sufficiency. I did not need to witness dramatic improvements to be reassured, but merely hoped to see evidence of positive trends, to see companies or battalions produce even minimal but sustainable progress.
Instead, I witnessed the absence of success on virtually every level.
snip
for the source and the rest:
http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2012/02/hot-lieutenant-colonel-reports-pentagon.html
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
6 replies, 1441 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (6)
ReplyReply to this post
6 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Lieutenant Colonel Reports Pentagon Lying about Afghanistan (Original Post)
Mira
Feb 2012
OP
A friend of mine's son in law is in the Marines, his daughter also for that matter, and he...
Bonhomme Richard
Feb 2012
#3
Whistleblowers are not held in good odor by this administration. He'll never make general.
Tierra_y_Libertad
Feb 2012
#6
He wasted a year to tell us what we already knew? Poor idiot.
think
(11,641 posts)2. Yep. And apparently someone forgot to tell Washington. /nt
Bonhomme Richard
(9,000 posts)3. A friend of mine's son in law is in the Marines, his daughter also for that matter, and he...
returned from Afghanistan a few months ago. Very apolitical guy and all he would say was that we were not being told the truth. He wouldn't elaborate. He is also on his way back for a year, along with his wife. Different theater areas.
bhikkhu
(10,718 posts)4. We're out by 2014, and the rest are beating us to the door
I don't imagine anything really good happening in Afghanistan after we go, but then staying hasn't exactly worked either. Long ago, before the wars, it was known as "the friendly country", a place of smiles and welcome...
demosincebirth
(12,537 posts)5. I hope he is retired, if not, he soon will be.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)6. Whistleblowers are not held in good odor by this administration. He'll never make general.