Perhaps withdrawing completely just might reduce the tension and bloodshed over there?

But it certainly would reduce our ongoing participation in the tension and bloodshed over there.

Why are we still there?????????????????????????
BHN

It's turned into Operation Enduring Occupation, with no end in sight. Even the justifications offered by the most ardent proponents of staying longer are ringing more hollow every day. And the term associated with the Vietnam War--'quagmire'--is increasingly being applied, accurately, to the war in Afghanistan.

Is that fancypants, gussied-up, PR-talk for the fact that our army now has to post sentries at night like every other fucking army does?

...and those now being posted INSIDE the perimeter to guard against INTERNAL threats. That's not something "every other fucking army does."

Use enough drone-launched missiles into the centre of the base and you're bound
to get the bad guys. Anyone else in the vicinity was obviously collaborating with
the insurgents and so deserved to be killed/maimed!

Problem solved!

Or "Let God sort them out".

We still have one duck to run up the flagpole--Afghianistanization! After all, it worked so well in Vietnam...

"As a result of the shootings, more than 300 advisers were pulled out of the Afghan ministries. So far, several dozen have returned, but many will not go back until additional security measures are put in place by the Afghans. That would include better vetting procedures, background checks and physical security measures at the ministries. The military official also said some advisers may not return, since commanders have determined that some may no longer be needed in the jobs."

And what is exactly is our "mission?"

"Officials insist the killings have not hampered the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. But they come at a time when new, small advisory teams are heading into Afghanistan to beef up the training program, requiring them to work closely with Afghan military units."

And WHO the hell are these anonymous "Officials" always referred to in these stories?

FUBAR, that is what it is, this cluster-fuck of a "war."

BHN

Probably lots of "contractors", not grunts.

It should have been a policy til now.