AP: New Envoy Predicts Tough Times Ahead in Afghanistan

[Hissyspit]

http://start.earthlink.net/article/int?guid=20050818/430407c0_3426_13350200508181573860782

Two U.S. soldiers killed as new envoy predicts tough times ahead in Afghanistan
August 18, 2005 7:30 PM EDT
KABUL, Afghanistan - A roadside bombing killed two U.S. soldiers, the latest in a spate of deadly rebel attacks as the new American ambassador warned that fighting was likely to continue in Afghanistan for some time.

But the envoy, Ronald Neumann, played down fears that the Taliban-led militants could prevent next month's legislative elections from going ahead. "When millions of people want to go vote, they will go vote," he told a news conference Thursday.

- snip -

In the latest attack, American and Afghan troops, backed up by U.S. warplanes, raided a suspected Taliban camp in Kandahar province's Khakrez district, killing five militants, said Afghan National Army commander Gen. Muslim Amid.

Preparations to protect the polls also have caused fatalities for NATO's forces. Two helicopters crashed in a western desert Tuesday while training to provide security for the elections, killing 17 Spanish troops - the deadliest blow for the NATO force inside Afghanistan.

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[justinsb]

1. Unlike Iraq

I still think Afghanistan is a worthy effort. It should have been planned better and there should still be more 'boots on the ground' as well as more international development aid (lots more). This is part of the reason that going into Iraq was such a tragic mistake. But I think that Afghanistan can be brought to a place where it is peaceful and self-sufficient. This does not mean that it will be like the US, or like anywhere else, but Afghanistan is a worthwhile project (if you have not already, read the Kite Runner.)

The reality with Iraq is that it wasn't that far off of being a peacful, stable, and self-sufficient country. Yes they had thier problems, yes there were human rights abuses and no they were not really democratic but there are alot of places that can be said about. As a secular state, with a high number of educated professionals, and a large supply of oil to fuel the economy Iraq was better off before the US invaded than it will be after the US leaves.

[Yupster]

3. I don't think more American soldiers

would help Afghanistan.

We need as little precense as possible there with their history of xenophobia.

Afghanistan is going to be a very ong project, but I think we need to keep as low an American profile as possible for them to have any chance at all.

[FloridaPat]

2. Sort of depends on what we wanted from Iraq. Mike Rupert claims

that the stock market is a money launering operation for government drug money. That the Taliban did such a good job of stopping the poppies, that the extra cash the CIA etc use for black ops was down to zero and that was the cause of the stock market bubble. As near as I can tell, we went into Afghanistan for the oil pipeline and to start the opium trade back up. If there is a stable government there with anything like a real democracy, the opium will be stopped. And they just might charge more for the oil going through those pipes. And they might renegotiate the oil pipeline contracts.

There is another book I read recently that says countries in turmoil are good for the US secret agenda to take over the world's oil supply. A lot of these "al Qaeda" attacks are US black ops to create turmoil. Seems a lot of the oil is in Muslim countries. I wonder who much of the world realizes just how bad our government really is.

[kurtyboy]

4. Is it just me, or are the resistance in Afghanistan killing

more of NATO and US forces than we are of them? I mean, a score of NATO/US deaths against five killed Taliban militants???

This might turn out to be a repeat of the British experience--or the Soviet's....

[enigma000]

6. Taliban are still taking high losses

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-22-afghanistan-fighting_x.htm

American aircraft bombarded a rebel hideout with missiles and bombs, killing up to 76 insurgents in one of the deadliest battles since the Taliban's ouster more than three years ago, officials said Wednesday, June 22/05

When coalition forces lose soldiers, it tends to happen in helicopter crashes, and as such, have higher number of casualties.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Taliban will probably take back the cities eventually.

There is nothing in the cities but poverty. The war lords already control the poppys, that never changed.