[linskyjack]

Secretary Gates has recently been in Europe, trying to drum up support among the western democracies to increase their presence in Afghanistan (its going down the tubes righty). Being a fairly wise old man, the Secretary has identified the problem he faces. Europe is so against President Monkey Boy's Iraq adventure, that they can't rally their populations to support increases in NATO forces in a floundering Afghanistan. This is yet another negative by-product of the Monkey Boy War.

[pyritechips]

Here are a few quotes from an article published here Sunday:

At this week's NATO conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, an angry U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates accused some Europeans of not being prepared to "fight and die" in Afghanistan in the battle against the Taliban.

To many Europeans, the NATO alliance was created to deter the real threat of Soviet aggression, not to supply foot soldiers for George Bush's wars in the Muslim world.

...the commander of the 40,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan, U.S. Gen. Dan McNeill, landed a bombshell. If proper U.S. military counter-insurgency doctrine were followed, McNeill admitted, the U.S. and NATO would need 400,000 troops to defeat Pashtun tribal resistance in Afghanistan.

When the Soviets occupied Afghanistan, they deployed 160,000 troops and about 200,000 Afghan Communist troops -- yet failed to crush the mostly Pashtun resistance. Now, the U.S. and NATO are trying the same mission with only 66,000 troops, backed by local mercenaries grandly styled the Afghan National Army.

...growing attacks on allied supply lines to Afghanistan...over 70% of U.S./NATO supplies come in by truck through Pakistan's tribal belt known as FATA, including all of their oil and gas. Attacks by pro-Taliban tribesmen against these vulnerable supply lines are jeopardizing western military operations inside Afghanistan...Cutting off invaders' supply lines is a time-honoured Pashtun military tactic. They used it against Alexander the Great, the British, and Soviets, and are at it again.

Yes, all is fine and well in Afghanistan.

Oops! Here is a link to the article: http://www.torontosun.com/News/Colum...838323-sun.php

[wacor]

Afghanistan is a bottom less pit

Worse than Nam

We will be there forever