AMERICANS TUNE OUT AFGHAN WAR AS FIGHTING RAGES ON

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN_FORGOTTEN_WAR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-22-01-42-17

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- It was once President Barack Obama's "war of necessity." Now, it's America's forgotten war.

The Afghan conflict generates barely a whisper on the U.S. presidential campaign trail. It's not a hot topic at the office water cooler or in the halls of Congress - even though more than 80,000 American troops are still fighting here and dying at a rate of one a day.

Americans show more interest in the economy and taxes than the latest suicide bombings in a different, distant land. They're more tuned in to the political ad war playing out on television than the deadly fight still raging against the Taliban. Earlier this month, protesters at the Iowa State Fair chanted "Stop the war!" They were referring to one purportedly being waged against the middle class.

By the time voters go to the polls Nov. 6 to choose between Obama and presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney, the war will be in its 12th year. For most Americans, that's long enough.

[TwilightGardener]

1. To be fair, I think it's been settled in most Americans' minds that the war is

coming to an end. It's not controversial--Repubs aren't arguing to extend it (like McCrazy did with Iraq in 2008), there's no pro-war and anti-war debate anymore. Everyone's just waiting for it to be over now. That doesn't mean that people don't take note of the troop losses that are still happening.

[CabCurious]

3. Precisely. And nothing has changed in Afghanistan...

So why do we expect there to be sensationalist coverage over daily death tolls?

At least in Iraq we saw political progress being made over time between the factions. In Afghan, there is no progress, just signs of increasing corruption. NATO has clearly said there's no military solution.

So neither side here in the USA wants to argue the matter.

[Initech]

2. We spend trillions on defense - what are we defending?

And more importantly - why should we spend all that money if no one cares other than the occasional empty gesture? eyes:

[CabCurious]

4. The GOP don't dare bring attention to either of those points.

If they scream about Afghanistan, it will remind Americans that Bush started this mess, Obama killed OBL, and that we can't afford to be there... especially since no political progress is being made by the Afghans.

[Peepsite]

5. Welcome to 5 minute attention span theater. AKA the US media

[Initech]

6. Afghan war costs 2 trillion+ and killed 2000+..... squirrel!!!!

Sounds about right.