tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post3397369644494083896..comments2024-01-01T19:49:13.788-08:00Comments on The Vigil: Will Matthew Hoh Turn Out to be the Daniel Ellsberg of 21st Century?Vigilantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07640246609540057997noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-8274254731347293252009-11-19T06:38:08.730-08:002009-11-19T06:38:08.730-08:00Footnote: Daniel Ellsberg & Matt Hoh meet for ...Footnote: Daniel Ellsberg & Matt Hoh meet for <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/18/matthew-hoh-daniel-ellsbe_n_363171.html" rel="nofollow">a conversation</a>.Vigilantehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07640246609540057997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-49340519282945664542009-11-03T21:14:09.183-08:002009-11-03T21:14:09.183-08:00I.P., welcome back into the fold. Shorter comments...I.P., welcome back into the fold. Shorter comments are encouraged, although your content was very much on topic. I think the link ot Ritter should be, <a href="http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091029_mcchrystal_doesnt_get_it_does_obama/" rel="nofollow">McChrystal Doesn’t Get It—Does Obama?</a>.Vigilantehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07640246609540057997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-52597360736476494962009-11-03T20:08:02.475-08:002009-11-03T20:08:02.475-08:00http://original.antiwar.com/vlahos/2009/11/02/poll...http://original.antiwar.com/vlahos/2009/11/02/polls-give-false-impressions-about-war/Tao Dao Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16229628652152584292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-29448018738883002942009-11-03T19:46:02.711-08:002009-11-03T19:46:02.711-08:00IP; They are listening. But they are looking the o...IP; They are listening. But they are looking the other way. The state of DENIAL did not stop when the SHRUBSTER/VADER regime left. The New World of Chaos continues. The same shadows are still behind the curtains. Obama was the chosen one by [TPTB] the powers that be. NATO is also a culprit in this. The west is on a crusade of energy resources and energy routes. ZBIG and Albright were his foreign policy advisers out of the gate. They despise Russia, and their encroachment of Russia, and China will continue. Afghanistan is the center of the globe for this staging area.Tao Dao Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16229628652152584292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-54585132715111691262009-11-03T19:19:01.335-08:002009-11-03T19:19:01.335-08:00Continuing:
..... Obama may have won the Nobel Pe...Continuing:<br /><br /><i>..... Obama may have won the Nobel Peace Prize, but if he allows himself to be bullied into supporting McChrystal’s foray into Afghanistan, he will reveal himself as the worst kind of warmonger. True, he didn’t invent the Afghan quagmire. That honor resides with George W. Bush, who also is to blame for the American fiasco in Iraq. But history will be surprisingly gentle toward America’s 43rd president. Bush will share the blame for his calamitous military decisions with the mistaken policies of previous administrations, a compliant Congress, headstrong advisers, servile intelligence agencies and, of course, the shock of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Bush will be seen more as a useful idiot than a ruthless ideologue. Obama, with his obvious intelligence, soaring rhetorical skills and Nobel credentials, does not readily fit such a characterization. If he decides to reinforce failure in Afghanistan by dispatching tens of thousands more American troops to that disaster, America’s 44th president will cement himself as a grand fraud, a hawk hiding in dove feathers.<br /><br />The president does possess the vision to see a world in which America stands side by side with other nations as an equal, operating with a shared notion of due process and respect for the rule of law, but that doesn’t square with any decision to deploy more troops to Afghanistan. Expanding the war in Afghanistan will lend credence to the central worry about Obama: that, at the end of the day, this man of vision might in fact be little more than an Illinois politician who is willing to barter away American life, treasure and good will for political gain on the domestic front. And, in doing so, it will undermine his noble vision of an America “resetting” its relationship with the world following eight years of unilateralist militarism.<br /><br />A true leader, one with substance and gravitas, would be able to stand up to the combined pressure of the military, the right-wing of Congress and the American media. He would draw the correct conclusions from the lessons of history, which prove again and again that Afghanistan is not a problem that can be solved by foreign military intervention. The fact that Obama might be compelled to alleviate the political pressure he is receiving from these sources by condemning America to another decade of death and destruction in Afghanistan and, most probably, Pakistan, reinforces any perception of his weakness as a national leader.<br /><br />.....if Barack Obama ultimately agrees to dispatch more American troops to Afghanistan, he will ensure not only that America will add its name to the list of those who have failed in their effort to conquer the unconquerable, but also that his name will join the ranks of those leaders throughout history who succumbed to the temptations of hubris when given the choice between war and peace.<br /><br />The Nobel committee will have failed in its gambit to motivate America’s 44th president to embrace the mantle of peacemaker, and the American people will be left to sort through the detritus of war brought on by yet another failed president.</i><br /><br />Afghanistan will still be bleeding us long after Mad Mike and Obama are gone from the scene. And the words of warning from Matthew Hoh and Scott Ritter will be cited with remorse: why didn't we listen at the time?Indicted Plagiaristhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03350595989619745600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-74646939060980200902009-11-03T19:16:14.398-08:002009-11-03T19:16:14.398-08:00Mad Mike doesn't get it any more than General ...Mad Mike doesn't get it any more than General McChrystal gets it. Scott Ritter lays it out. Here are the best words of Ritter's from Truthdig:<br /><br /><em>..... One must remember that the general has accomplished little of note during his short tenure to date as the military commander in Afghanistan. His entire reputation is built around the potential to turn things around in Afghanistan.And to do this, McChrystal has said he needs time, and 40,000-plus additional American troops. There are currently around 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. McChrystal’s request would raise that number to around 110,000 troops – the same number as the Soviets had deployed in Afghanistan at the height of their failed military adventure some 20 years ago.<br /><br />..... McChrystal operates under the illusion that American military power can provide a shield from behind which Afghanistan can remake itself into a viable modern society. He has deluded himself and others into believing that the people of Afghanistan want to be part of such a grand social experiment, and furthermore that they will tolerate the United States being in charge. The reality of Afghan history, culture and society argue otherwise.<br /><br />..... The Soviets tried and failed. They deployed 110,000 troops, operating on less restrictive lines of communication and logistical supply than the United States. They built an Afghan army of some 45,000 troops. They operated without the constraints of American rules of engagement. They slaughtered around a million Afghans. And they lost, for the simple reason that the people of Afghanistan did not want them, or their Afghan proxies.<br /><br />..... one of the unique aspects of the Afghan conflict is the degree to which it has expanded into Pakistan, making any military solution in one theater contingent on military victory in the other. But the reality is that the more one employs military force in either Afghanistan or Pakistan, the more one strengthens the cause and resources of the Islamic insurgents in both places.<br /><br />Pashtunistan, once a fanciful notion built around the concept of a united Pashtun people (the population in eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan are primarily drawn from Pashtun tribes), has become a de facto reality. The decision by the British in 1897 to separate the Pashtun through the artificial device of the so-called Durand Line (which today constitutes the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan) has been exposed today as a futile effort to undermine tribal links. No amount of military force can reverse this.<br /><br />Thus the solution itself becomes the problem, thereby creating a never-ending circular conflict which has the United States expending more and more resources to resolve a situation that has nothing to do with the reality on the ground in Afghanistan, and everything to do with crafting a politically viable salve for what is in essence a massive self-inflicted wound. It is the proverbial dog chasing after its own tail, a frustrating experience made even more so by the fact that any massive commitment of troops brings with it the fatal attachment of national pride, individual hubris and, worst of all, the scourge of domestic American politics, so that by the time this dog bites its tail, it will be so blinded by artificialities that rather than recognize its mistake, it will instead proceed to consume itself. In the case of Afghanistan, our consumption will be measured in the lives of American servicemen and women, national treasure, national honor, and, of course the lives of countless Afghan dead and wounded.</em>Indicted Plagiaristhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03350595989619745600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-84933412468666613582009-11-02T12:00:28.332-08:002009-11-02T12:00:28.332-08:00P.S. Great picture of your beautiful swimming dog...P.S. Great picture of your beautiful swimming dog. By the way, I assume you know that sharks love dog meat, especially dog meat that is black, like seals. I assume Sozadee is in Northern California and if so it is prime great white territory. I'm just sayin' cause I have more interest in CB than I do in Afghanistan. At least today...Kentucky Rainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16753739401363847764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-37576464633122937292009-11-02T11:57:57.930-08:002009-11-02T11:57:57.930-08:00I have to wonder what you will write about when Af...I have to wonder what you will write about when Afghanistan fades into history. Regardless it is a good letter, but I doubt it says anything the president does not already know, which is why he is taking the time to make an informed and progressive decision. Finally, I have to agree with Reality Zone: It is today's news and soon it will be tomorrow's old news. It is little more than a flash in a great big pan.Kentucky Rainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16753739401363847764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-76404494614527541242009-11-02T10:28:10.459-08:002009-11-02T10:28:10.459-08:00Good, creative comments above.
The more I read, t...Good, creative comments above.<br /><br />The more I read, the more I am convinced that the USA & NATO should see that they have to choose <strong>between</strong> dominoes, Afghanistan or Pakistan. The fact that there are no good options does not mean that either option is equally bad.<br /><br />The more I read, however, the more I dispair about Obama's choice. As one wag put it, our deployment in <strong>Afghanistan appears to our government as the Bail-Out option</strong>. That is to say, it is already <strong>too big to fail</strong>. But McChrystal wants Obama to double-down on Kabul. <br /><br />IMO, it is the exact opposite direction that is warranted.Vigilantehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07640246609540057997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-42085539681880036312009-11-02T07:47:52.920-08:002009-11-02T07:47:52.920-08:00Did he say "Sisyphean"??? Well done, Vi...Did he say "Sisyphean"??? Well done, Vig. It's a poignant letter, filled with the reasonable-ness of pulling out of Afghanistan. "Sisyphean" is right on.... a philosophy of the absurd! Quite rightly Mr. Hoh has pursued the only option, revolt. The meaningless task of the hero to push a rock up a mountain only to watch if fall down over and over again...Sisyphus aptly describes our 'efforts' in Afghanistan.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16419040049480437384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-75471530914322325192009-11-02T07:38:34.682-08:002009-11-02T07:38:34.682-08:00The U.S. command in Afghanistan is considering a s...The U.S. command in Afghanistan is considering a strategy that involves pulling back from the countryside and focusing on protecting more heavily populated areas (which might be called, with the first U.S. Afghan War of the 1980s in mind, the Soviet strategy). The underpopulated parts of the countryside would then undoubtedly be left to Hellfire missile-armed American drone aircraft. In the last week, three U.S. helicopters -- the only practical way to get around a mountainous country with a crude, heavily mined system of roads -- went down under questionable circumstances (another potential sign of an impending Soviet-style disaster). Across the country, Taliban attacks are up; deadly roadside bombs or IEDs are fast on the rise (a 350% jump since 2007); U.S. deaths are at a record high and the numbers of wounded are rising rapidly; European allies are ever less willing to send more troops; and Taliban raids in the capital, Kabul, are on the increase. All this despite a theoretical 12-1 edge U.S., NATO, and Afghan troops have over the Taliban insurgents and their allies.LTEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02585792840750218574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-67933708677161086952009-11-01T19:43:16.871-08:002009-11-01T19:43:16.871-08:00Boris; I hope i am wrong. But, i do not believe he...Boris; I hope i am wrong. But, i do not believe he will be getting much press in say, oh, even a week. a month max. The memory span of most americans is very short, and shallow. Abdullah Abdullah will be the story for the next week. Shillary will get some press with her [Israel first] statements in Israel.Tao Dao Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16229628652152584292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-30786006197934379552009-11-01T19:27:38.600-08:002009-11-01T19:27:38.600-08:00The dude who calls himself Reality Zone is wrong. ...The dude who calls himself Reality Zone is wrong. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/01/matthew-hoh-interviewed-b_n_341553.html" rel="nofollow">Matthew Hoh's story</a> is not on it last legs.Borishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13887019984342458931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-83639718433103969962009-10-31T02:04:19.039-07:002009-10-31T02:04:19.039-07:00Matthew Hoh's letter is brilliant. I have no q...Matthew Hoh's letter is brilliant. I have no question he is completely correct in his every observation and conclusion.<br /><br />The real question is what will President Obama do? Will he see the wisdom in Hoh's words? Or will he differ to his General's advice? Or will he try to walk a narrow political middle path, holding back troops but failing to recognize the truth on the ground in Afghanistan so clearly communicated by Matthew Hoh?Bob Kellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18171655256407149176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-44854278526679109192009-10-30T19:58:00.870-07:002009-10-30T19:58:00.870-07:00We can only hope he will turn out to be a modern-d...We can only hope he will turn out to be a modern-day Ellsberg, but I'm sure Liz and Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh, along with all the other ditto heads, will soon find a way to carve him up and discredit him. The U.S. is truly losing its mind.Jack Jodellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02165430903903838990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-45749660937694701232009-10-30T12:56:55.397-07:002009-10-30T12:56:55.397-07:00SP; Keep listening for a Free Baluchistan. It will...SP; Keep listening for a Free Baluchistan. It will most likely be a main domino to fall, or is it fail?Tao Dao Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16229628652152584292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-31797456084602958272009-10-30T08:56:33.550-07:002009-10-30T08:56:33.550-07:00Here is the crux:
Our presence in Afghanistan has...Here is the crux:<br /><br /><em>Our presence in Afghanistan has only increased destabilization and insurgency in Pakistan where we rightly fear a toppled or weakened Pakistani government may lose control of its nuclear weapons. However, again, to follow the logic of our stated goals we should garrison Pakistan, not Afghanistan.</em><br /><br />Obama is about to stand the domino theory on its head.Soros' Proxyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474800402465417916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356601405469434111.post-90350153609907076302009-10-29T21:12:05.202-07:002009-10-29T21:12:05.202-07:00I agree that Hoh is a truthsayer. But he is no Ell...I agree that Hoh is a truthsayer. But he is no Ellsberg. It will take someone much higher up, with some real dirt to reveal. Hoh heard his conscience. He listened, and reacted. Unfortunately his story will have no legs.Tao Dao Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16229628652152584292noreply@blogger.com