Reply #17: Really?

[davidthegnome]

How many innocent lives would you have sacrificed to accomplish meeting our "target date"? If you happened to be living in Pakistan, how would you feel about another Nation launching military raids into your territory? How would you feel about the many drone attacks and bombs that have already claimed thousands of innocent lives? I realize that in any war there are casualties, but the death toll for this one is already far too high. What do we truly hope to accomplish?

I am heart sick and overwhelmed by the sheer number of deaths and lives destroyed by this war. Is what we seek to accomplish worth years more? Can we even realistically accomplish what many of the greatest military minds and powers of the past could not?

It is time for us to meet and negotiate with our enemies. It is time for diplomacy, it is time to at least truly attempt to find a peaceful resolution.

When the Soviets rained death upon Afghanistan, we despised them for it, though they believed they had their (justifiable) reasons. Now we do the same in the name of war on terror and protecting democracy. Do you think Al Qaeda - an organization that reaches many Nations, can be successfully fought in Afghanistan alone? Do you believe we can destroy the Taliban altogether or at least weaken them to the point that a western style democracy is possible for Afghanistan? That is what this push seems to be for.

I believe we are facing an impossible objective and need to end this conflict now.