Is it wrong for the US to have troops in Afghanistan?

There seem to be a mix of opinions within the anti-war movement. Everyone agrees that the US should withdraw from Iraq, but some feel we are chasing bogeymen in caves in Afghanistan.

Is Al Quaeda really a threat to us? Why do we never seem to hear any progress on Afghanistan? Why haven't they got Bin Laden after all these years? What are we doing there?

And that's all our government cares about.

Right after we invaded and nearly caught OBL, we were all set to catch him, it was pitched as if OBL were cornered and the US made a big deal about how they were going to let the local military (afghani) operatives make the final catch, and I said right then that they weren't serious. The US military doesn't go all the way across the world to make a catch and then letsomeone else take the credit. I believe they let him go purposefully, and covered it up by claiming to let hte locals get credit for the final capture and then blaming them for bungling it up.

So, yes, I think it's wrong for us to have troops in AFghanistan.

:sarcasm:

:shrug:

:sarcasm: that I hope is self-evident...

There are far better ways to neutralize al Qaeda but they don't play well on the news.

you can't defeat an idealogy with firepower

WWII was a fight among capitalist competitors, and if you fought against the Axis powers you had to fight fascism, at least until you smashed it. Then, you could re-arm the former combatants, and under your command attack trade unions, like what happened in Japan.

I am not saying that WWII wasn't a fight against Nazism---it was for many people, just saying that the root causes of that war were economic.

So, is Afganistan an economic prize that US and allied Western corporations want? Sure it is. Afganistan, Iran and Iraq need to be dominated by the oil companies---and China kept out---otherwise the powerbrokers of the West will be at great risk of losing a lot more than cheap oil.

That is why the US military is there and will not leave unless it is forced out by US citizens, progressive people every where, and most importantly the people of Afganistan.

It just moved to Texas.

and he has been strongly against the Iraq invasion since day one. I have a great deal of faith in him, and there are very few issues on which he doesn't take a reasonable, progressive position.

But if we can't even bring Bin Laden to justice after 7 years, what's the point? Aren't we supposed to have the most capable military in the world?

thugs are using these men/women in the military for their own selfish greed and abuse of power, it is not their a$$es on the line. They don't care. And getting, if ever, they get Bin Laden they have created alot more.

As it is wrong to have troops in Japan, Korea, Germany, Deigo Garcia, Columbia, the Balkans.........

Imperialism sucks, however you put lipstick on the pig.

In that military action is supported by, & participated in by the UN - Canada, Holland, England, Denmark, etc. Its not just US troops chasing the Taliban.

I'd like to see more effort, frankly. Infrastructure improvements, education in addition to killing.

Both countries with business and personal ties to the Bush Family and Cheney's Halliburton, then "yes," it is wrong to have troops in Afghanistan.