Thursday, December 3, 2009

Afghanistan: Why We Are There


The press reports just about everything and anything. Some reporting is good and some is terrible, but in a democracy almost everything gets reported. One Senator stands up and talks about the President and his policies and naturally it is reported. But, I guess it is up to us, the listener, to decide whether what they have said makes any sense.

Senator John McCain has decided that to tell the world we will remove our troops by 2011 is a bad more. Why tell the enemy your plans? Personally, I don't think there is a muslin in that part of the world that would bet his turban that the American Forces will be out of Afghanistan by 2011.

How many years is it since the end of WWII? 64 years? 64 years and we still have bases and troops in Germany and Japan. Yet, we are worried we are telling the Taliban that we are leaving in 18 months. The Taliban are praying we will be out by 2011.

As I wrote Wednesday, the important thing about this region of the world is the fact that Pakistan has nukes and nuclear material. The last thing the west needs is for al Qaeda to get their hands on nukes or nuclear material. While we do not have troops in Pakistan, the presence of troops in Afghanistan along with the mission to bring more stability to the Afghan people and their government, is enough of a reason to be in the region. True, al Qaeda does not have to be in Afghanistan to operate, but with Pakistan right next door, it is imperative that we stop al Qaeda from getting their hands on nukes or nuclear materials.

I realize that the Republican Party has now seen their Southern strategy run its course. It played well for them for many years. They would be smart if they would say Kaddish for their Southern strategy and light a candle after they bury it, and then start thinking about a new strategy. Beating on our black president day in and day out is getting old, and the majority of the people, remember it takes a majority to win, see through it now.

Stay tuned.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Better they should say Kaddish for the Party and start over.

winslow said...

How can anyone be excited about politics............the Republicans don't have a clue on any new ideas on any topic....the Democrats seem out of control on many issues. I don't think we can call the Democrats fiscally responsible. so where do we turn as a country. To China, for advice?

moneythoughts said...

Oh Lou, that is beautiful. Yes, they should start over and consider a bigger tent.

Winslow, it is frustrating isn't it. It seems that there is no crisis that pulls us together. Can we only do the right thing if we experience and event like 9-11? I understand politics is rough, but this country came very close to the edge in 2007. The trouble is, not enough people really understand this. Even many college educated people don't understand the difference between the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank. Bernanke, like Volcker before him, went to extreme measures to hold it all together. Iceland couldn't do it, but we could. But for how long?

moneythoughts said...

Anyone that wants to drop me a personal email, for whatever reason, can reach me at:

fdzigler@yahoo.com

Please, no insurance sales people, I am already covered. : )