Sanctuary Denied?

Last week I received and heads up from Mullah John that General Allen and Ambassador Crocker were on 60 Minutes and was able to watch the show on AFN.  The one thing I noticed when watching General Allen was the emotion clearly evident as he discussed the truck bomb has had asked the Pakistani military to help stop.That bomb hit a US base in Wardak Province injuring over 8o soldiers. General Allen was told that one of the Pakistani politicians  remarked that if he knew about the truck bomb why did he not stop it?  He was clearly not amused by the question. I also saw something from Ambassador Crocker I really like.  When asked why he came out of retirement he said that when the President tells you he needs you do a job there is only one correct response. I respect that.

I make no claim to having a clue what or how General Allen is thinking as he approaches this war. I knew him 20 years ago when I was an instructor at the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course where he was our group chief. I like General Allen and count him among the finest officers I served with during my time in the Corps.  I don’t know Ambassador Crocker at all – I just liked his response on 60 minutes and I am sure he is an exceptionally talented leader.

Having qualified my expertise on the matter  I’d like to make an educated guess, and that is General Allen is not the kind of commander who will grant enemy sanctuary indefinitely.  I doubt Ambassador Crocker is any different. General Allen is backed up by the Commander of CENTCOM, General Mattis who has a well earned reputation as an exceptionally aggressive and successful general. General Allen also spent three years as the Deputy Commander CENTCOM and the Marine Corps rarely leaves a three start general in one job for three years. During those years General Allen was General Petraeus’s right hand man and he did that while, for the most part, remaining off the main stream press radar. General Allen has juice – and it is not the kind of juice one normally associates with politically powerful people because it is not obvious main stream media juice. It is back channel juice and that is powerful stuff.

The topic is Pakistan and I thought it the perfect place to put in photos of my travels through the Khyber Pass. I’ve done the low budget Khyber Pass visit and the high budget (escorting a senior diplomat from Japan) tour too. The pictures calm me as I’m venting my spleen about the stupidity of our political class below – hopefully they do the same for you too.

Lunch at the best kabob stand in Landi Kotal - the last Pakistani town before the Torkham border with Afghanistan
Lunch at the best kabob stand in Landi Kotal – the last Pakistani town before the Torkham border with Afghanistan.  This is where low budget travelers eat.  It was good kabob too.  Honest.
Lunch when you go the VIP route is a lot better
Lunch when you go the VIP route is a lot better

Herschel Smith is unimpressed with the reported build up in the east of Afghanistan and I can’t remember a time he’s been wrong about anything. His assessment could prove to be spot on but this is one time I hope it isn’t. And for more bad news check this out: President Karzai has threatened to back Pakistan if the US conducts cross border operations. Secretary of State Clinton stopped by for a few words with President Karzai who immediately gave a TV interview telling the world he would side with Pakistan. I guess the SecState failed to get her message across. Big frigging surprise there.

The low rent way to visit the Khyber Pass; you need a permit and a tribal policeman and of course some Afridi's never hurt to have along too
The low rent way to visit the Khyber Pass; you need a permit and a tribal policeman and of course some Afridi’s never hurt to have along too
The VIP trip scores you a good 40 minute brief in a glass room in the Michni Post overlooking the eastern end of the Khyber
The VIP trip scores you a good 40 minute brief in a glass room of the Michni Post overlooking the western end of the Khyber
There was once a time when world leaders would travel into the Northwest Frontier because Pakistan was a trusted ally
There was once a time when world leaders would travel into the Northwest Frontier because Pakistan was a trusted ally
That time is well within living memory
That time is well within living memory
The story behind Michni Post so you can get an idea of how far into the NWF international leaders once traveled
The story behind Michni Post so you can get an idea of how far into the NWF international leaders once traveled

Suppose for a moment that the one glaring problem we face is no longer considered acceptable. That problem is that our enemies have sanctuary once they cross over the border to Pakistan. What if we have reached a point where we are no longer going to tolerate it?  The reason I ask is because what exactly are the Pakistani’s going to do about it?

They can threaten to cut off our supply lines. We have alternative supply lines running out of Central Asia and seem to have stockpiled enough of the 4- B’s (beans bullets, bandages, and beer). Wait, that can’t be right as everyone in the military knows drinking beer is one step away from consorting with Satan (according to Armed Forces TV and radio and social media outlets). Drink just one beer and the next thing you know your thumping the wife and trying to sell the baby for poker money.  So we have stocked up the three B’s and we can hold out with our stash much longer than the Pakistani economy can withstand a sea and air blockade because that is the level of punishment you have to be ready to dish out if you plan to go into Waziristan and start taking scalps.

Part of the VIP brief at Michni Post is the use of large reference points marking their side of the international boarder
Part of the VIP brief at Michni Post is the use of large reference points marking their side of the international boarder

We have known since the very first days of this conflict that the Taliban use the border area for sanctuary.  We have been good about not going across in “hot pursuit” having limited incursions into Pakistan to one that I know of.

The Pakistani army has a big display of all the Soviet rockets shot at them back in the day. Of course if we wanted to get shitty with the Pakistanis instead of shooting some low rent rockets we could turn the whole Michni Post into a big smoking hole in the ground. Rockets my ass
The Pakistani army has a big display of all the Soviet rockets shot at them back in the day. Of course if we wanted to get it on with the Pakistanis instead of shooting some low rent rockets we could turn the whole Michni Post into a big smoking hole in the ground. Nothing gets your attention faster than watching a fort full of soldiers get blown sky high.  Remember the World Trade Center?  Did that get your attention?  I have no ill will for the Khyber Rifles who are a good group of guys with a formidable Polo team but we’re talking business here.

We have alternate supply lines, we have stocks of stuff on hand, we still need to move supplies through Pakistan so what to do?  How about this famous quote “Never take counsel in your fears”.  The Pakistani’s have been playing us for fools since about December of 2001 when we let them rescue Osama bin Laden. Before that they were all about cooperation, as was every other country in the world except the ones that don’t matter anyway. The reason they were so cooperative was they knew we were in the blind rage stage of being pissed off about 9/11. That is several steps up the pissed off ladder and nobody at that time was sure what we were going to do. All they knew was that we were capable of doing whatever the hell we wanted to do. We still are. In fact given the billions spent on high tech platforms we could destroy more, faster, and with greater efficiency than we could a decade ago.

Looking east at the Khyber Pass from the Michni Fort. The narrow pass has been militarily significant since the assent of man but it isn't now - we could roll through it, fly over it, or take it with infantry in a matter of hours.
Looking east at the Khyber Pass from the Michni Fort. The narrow pass has been militarily significant since the assent of man but it isn’t now – we could roll through it, fly over it, or take it with infantry in a matter of hours.

After watching the 60 minutes segment with General Allen I am certain of one thing.  He’s pissed.  And he’s pissed about how Pakistan has been playing us and he is not the kind of man you want pissed at you. Take it from me because I’ve been there with him and it’s not pleasant. Most of you do not know General Allen or anything about him.  What you need to know is he understands that unlimited sanctuary is no way to fight a war. And even though he doesn’t have the political capitol of General Petraeus he has his confidence.  As he does with General Mattis – another fighting general who is not too keen on granting anyone sanctuary.  I know calls like going across the border in hot pursuit are the Presidents to make but we all now know (thanks to Ron Suskind) that the White House is dysfunctional and getting the President to make a firm decision about anything almost impossible. National level leadership of that kind allows for subordinates to make “interpretations of intent”. A fancy way of saying they can make their own decisions and take the actions they think fit Obama’s intent.

At the moment nobody is too sure about Obama’s intent on anything let alone Pakistan. Pakistan has proved a most unworthy ally. They actively support cross border incursion and have done so with impunity.  What is to stop General Allen from coming across the border and reducing Miramshaw to a heap of smoking ashes?  Nothing.  And when Pakistan starts wailing and moaning about it do you know what we should tell them?  First word starts with an F  the second with a Y. What are they going to do about it?  Fight us?  That one would be over quick.

32 Replies to “Sanctuary Denied?”

  1. 1. Our theoretical Central Asian supply lines run through Russia. When we stuck our nose into Islam Karimov’s business, he told us to GTFO, and Putin is no Karimov. Need I say more?
    2. The odds of General Allen launching a full-on sustained invasion of Pakistan on his own say-so, and being backed by his superiors, while the rest of the federal government stands by, are roughly equal to the probability that he’ll launch his own space program and start to terraform Venus, or send a MEF up the Potomac. I’ll put $100 down saying that no such thing happens, with a side bet of $200 saying that if it does, we’ll pull out in a week like in Lam Son.
    3. The only flavor this self-licking ice cream cone comes in is Retard. That is not gonna change this late in the game.

    1. That was Lam Son 719 and I bet 300 bucks (your side bet plus the 100 you won on the last bet) that if we go east it is nothing like 719.

  2. The gas comes up from Karachi and is our Achilles heel. Remember the stories of $100/gallon gas?

    I suspect the recent parade of high level mojos is a warning, but we had better be able to sustain operations into Pakistan if they decide to do so.

  3. Pakistan’s move. “ISI give the Taliban those ATGWs, some plastic, and those SAM-14s we got from the Libyans. Oh and restock their 107 and 122mm rocket supply.”

    Only one hit per day with a Milan on a MRAP doubles NATO casualties per month. Imagine if we lose a Chinook every week. Do we think the Europeans will still play if the fight suddenly gets fairer? Will the US public be happy when Afghan cas get up to Iraq April 2007 levels?

    Will the US be stronger if it spends more billions per year in punishing Pakistan. What if the result is full blown support for the Afghan Taliban? What if the result is US infantry in FATA? How are we better off?

    This is a war of attrition where our side’s willingness to take casualties is much lower than the enemy. I think we’ve passed the point where the public think we’re getting value for the cas and cash.

    Panetta has been told to cut defence about $50 billion for each of the next five years. The withdrawal from the Muslim world has started and as Obama wishes to be re-elected it’s domestic good politics and some high profile assassinations are acting as good cover.

    Escalating the war is a dead end. The generals may have a say but short of a massive terrorist attack on US soil launched from Pakistan not much chance of widening the war.

  4. “At the moment nobody is too sure about Obama’s intent on anything let alone Pakistan”

    So, while writing this article you can’t hide how warrior’s feel, and that is the right thing to do!

    Victory…it’s what we live and die for!

    Back home, here in the USA, our political elites are having great difficulty coming to the cameras and microphones with words that describe and define who and what Obama may really be. They are dancing around the elephant and gorilla in the room…might I suggest it is “Karl Marx” along with a ghost known as “Daddy” who could also be known as “allah” by some.

    “Leading from behind” while drones and others go out onto the bad lands hunting and killing so called bad guys: Great leadership by a true “commander in chief” no?

    The main game that might be in play by Obama is, in my opinion, to destroy the American economy, to evolve government into a new model (neo-communist), and then to retire so that “the one” can look at the work achieved and smile (do more than Daddy ever did)!

    Bleeding by a 1000 cuts seems to be a major strategy; therefore, games might be played with cross border excursions, etc. based on “lost blood” for America.

    Princeton Patreaus (as with Hillary) has been co-opted via promotion and departmental isolation. Recall even Al Gore wouldn’t choose to resign from office–he with daughters Monica’s age, as Bill’s behavior spurted onto the public domain. Crony capitalism was his choice.

    So, you will need a true warrior who is willing to fall on his sword or face an Obama “firing squad” coming out from the mists to confront our Jew hating president. Get an interview with Gen. McChrystal for guidance.

    Note too how the advertisements in America depicting our injured soldiers are becoming more intense, more emotional, more rational in suggesting “what’s this all been about?”

    Your pictures of the kabob stand with Pepsi signs versus the modern buildings where suits are more than welcome tell the whole story, don’t they?

    You, your fellow warriors–we veterans, and other Americans are being stabbed in the back…by people who really covet and intend to continue “leading from behind” if you think long and hard about this reality of fighting a war on terror.

    Malignant narcissists intend for others to do the work and dying.

    For me, Obama’s intent has been clear since I first became aware of him years ago. Many people I know never listened to my warnings, even now they think I am mistaken, misguided…off my rocker!.

    Crunch time is coming…as that draft dodger Bill used to say: “Sooner, rather than later!”

  5. While I do not doubt you can defeat the Pakistan forces I wonder if you really think police actions against poorly equipped local forces is really war.

    It would be really war if you attacked Pakistan.

    1. No, extending the war in Pakistan would not make it “really war” that flew out the window years ago. They’re not in the same league as the Russians or a dozen other countries.

  6. http://www.investors.com/image/RAMFclr-102811-arlington-IB.jpg.cms

    Here’s what appears to be the latest Ramirez cartoon comment: Seems to mirror and high-lite my thoughts and I suspect many others. Plus, his work will be seen by many, many people.

    While Bill Ayers smiles and addresses the new “hell no, we won’t go” citizens of the left, others sit and pray a right wing nut will come out and perhaps use serious violence against a clean, meaningful, honest and sincere civilian demonstrator OWS.

    Got to get this 2nd American civil war going…

    Mullah Omar must be smiling as he sends his clothes out to get washed and ironed after having received a direct invitation from Hillary’s State Department to come and talk about how “we can all just get along!”

    1. Don’t think for a minute that the Left really wants anything like a civil war. They know that they lose that in a heartbeat. This isn’t the 1860’s where all the industry and economic might was in the North. The Red States now have most of the economic might that matters and, far more importantly, the population and members of the active and retired military that overwhelmingly look at things from a Red State perspective.

      So the Left plays a dangerous game. Think Madison, Wisconsin. They want something like the 1960’s and 70’s “unrest.” Protests? Yes. People being arrested? Yes. Some radical groups going around robbing banks or causing trouble? Yep. Backed by Union thugs and that Chicago mentality, they want to intimidate the rest of the country into keeping Big Government big and keep everything on course towards more socialism and central control. They absolutely cannot afford things to get out of control where the silent majority gets fed up and says, “That’s it. New York, California, you’re on your own. D.C., too. Have a nice time keeping up your failing Blue States.”

  7. 1. Ramirez’ cartoon is really bitter.
    2. The question is: how big is the gap between what Generals Mattis and Allen can do and what they will do?
    3. A retired Indian Army officer mapped out the Pakistani/Afghan situation for me back in 2002.
    4. Don’t know if his analysis was correct, but events in that area have been consistent with it.
    5. His big concern was a retired ISI Brigadier named Hamid Gul (Gul Hamid?).
    6. By his account, Gul had helped set up the Taliban and was miffed that US forces had taken his creation down -also a religious element there.
    7. This guy regarded Gul as a bit of a kingmaker and thought that little that went on in the Pakistani Army occurred without a thumbs up from his camp.
    8. Since Pakistan is pretty well propped up by their military, that says a lot.
    9. He had to ring in both nation’s focus on their common border, of course.
    10. In essence, he felt the Pakistanis that mattered wouldn’t be satisfied until a Pashtun force with strong ties to Pakistan was reestablished in the south and eastern portions of Afghanistan.
    11. The analysis cost me a drink. What it’s worth, I do not know.
    V/R JWest

    1. Could be worth a lot but the problem for Pakistan now is they are rapidly descending into a bigger third world shit hole than they were back when they broke off from India. For years they would lord over India the fact that they had modern cities and higher levels of education but now that is no longer true. India has a middle class and a booming economy. Pakistan is stuck in military dominated crony capitalism that has ruined their economy and is making them an international joke. Hamid (praiseworthy) Gul (flower) may think he’s a kingmaker but not only is his name really gay – it is more likely he is the Paki equivalent of Dr, Frankenstein because he appears to have created and monster. And there is only one way to deal with a monster. Kill it.

  8. The Pakis are afraid of Pashtunistan and Balochistan specifically. The port project with the Chinese in Gwadar is meant as an alternative to Karachi and forward projection of Chinese naval power into the Gulf. It will also rope Balochistan in tighter.

    The Pashtuns in their wild manner sorta kinda want their own entity. The only problem is that they probably have no ability whatsoever to govern themselves peaceably.

    Fighting against an American armed enemy in those mountains would be bitter. And one would really hear the word jihad then. The Pakistanis are generally unhinged. Honor murders, vendettas, political assassinations, and just plain mayhem are the Pakistani way of life.

    With their buddy buddy relationship with China they aren’t even frenemies any longer. Kill the ISI as best we can and maybe the country has a chance.In the meantime Agent Orange the poppy fields on the other side of the border and let them rot in their own filth.

  9. “Ramirez’ cartoon is really bitter”

    “…Agent Orange the poppy fields on the other side of the border and let them rot in their own filth.”

    Let’s connect the dots: Now with 12 dead Americans (who the press wish to label NATO troops whenever possible) via a suicide bombing happening in Kabul, I wonder if comments such as those I’ve made on this blog are not only being read by the “bad guys” but also being put into a perspective that hurts our efforts at the tip of the spear and shape tactics by those we wish to defeat?

    Out national government does wish to defeat these people, right?

    Right after 9/11 the American government sought the primary players which resulted in Afghanistan coming under the microscope via Bin Laden and Mullah Omar. Fox News had this Priest being interviewed who had spent years running around the border areas with Pakistan. He talked about the Pashtun people and their cultural beliefs, etc. He indicated this was where the game would be played. I never forget his warnings.

    A couple of years later, while sitting in a waiting room at my VA hospital, next to me sat a young man with his wife. Half his skull was missing, his words and motions reflecting some of the effects. I tried talking with him and his wife. Leaving later, while walking to my car tears just showed up: I knew why.

    I had danced this dance years ago–later schooled with many who now live within our government as professional employees of the people…or as I would say, petty tyrants who think they know what’s right and best for the “others” who happen to be you know who. They never “exposed” their asses to our military system, nor do they now allow their offspring to do such: Look to Romney’s four sons for example.

    Bitter doesn’t even begin to describe how deeply I feel about this waste of human life and collective treasury. Poppy fields should have been one of the second round of major targets years ago instead of designing and building such structures where native costumes could be worn to greet visitors (as presented in this most recent posting).

    While our Neo-Marxist educated kids gather in public places to denounced “Capitalism” via their disguised phrases, etc., such evil people as Bill Ayers, Obama, Clinton, and hordes more, are treated as “truth givers” of the first order.

    Funny, I recall decades ago, when engaged in heated debates with such clowns how fast they talked to deny the legitimacy of warring, the evils of our society and their right to do what they believed was justified no matter what. I saw cowards trying to hide, very few true “conscientious objectors” ever came across my path.

    This American cancer of thought may be more potent than any and all efforts being presented by stupid muslims, those lemmings who in so many ways mirror our OWS protesters.

    Eric Hoffer had this game figured out and warned us accordingly.

    It’s coming…this won’t blow over. Someone, somewhere, is going to get more stupid than you can ever believe.

    I hate war…and I would posit most combat vets would agree.

    If you’re gonna play such a game, then play it for real!

  10. BabaTim thank you for your thoughts. Time will tell what happens there. ISI is the big player there,along with Iran.

  11. I really sympathize with you Meher Tim.

    The fighter in you wants so badly to believe that something is going to be done to right this wrong, to correct this grave injustice that has been a royal,strategic screw up in A-stan since we subscribed to the nation building charade. You hope that these fighting Generals will somehow break their leashes and take it to the sanctuaries, even if it means the slowest kind of public crucifixion that the Leftist Media and politicians can devise.

    But try, if possible, to cool your blood for a moment. Step back. Aren’t we wayyyyy past the point where this kind of righteous obliteration would serve any, useful purpose? Obama and his allies on the Left have long ago decided that America needed an exit ramp from A-stan. The so-called “surge” into A-stan was hopelessly under-resourced from the start. It was all just a political show, to pander to great middle of American politics who wanted something, anything that at least looked like we were serious while giving a big wink to his Leftist allies that, don’t worry, we’ll be outta A-stan by 2011, 2012 tops. Ten years of playing games, pretending to be serious about winning in A-stan, has worn the American public down. Any escalation like you’re talking about simply will not be sanctioned absent some, clear provocation. (I know, there has been plenty of clear provocation from the Pakis for years, but the Leftist Media says it isn’t so and that’s what too many Americans believe).

    This is why Obama loves the drones so much. He can look tough and point to dead terror leaders without the body counts and without having to make any tough choices.

    In an alternate universe, your post makes perfect sense and truth prevails and the bad guys meet their doom. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that universe.

  12. George Patton commented near the end of WWII that “we always leave ourselves another war to fight.” He was referring to our dealings with the Soviets, of course, but his words apply here as well. We stopped short in Iraq during Desert Storm, and wound up having a mini Cold War with Saddam for 13 years. We are going to stop short in Afghanistan, and our kids and grandkids will have to clean up the mess. Few folks in America care to study history. We are short sighted as a nation, focussing on near term gratification. We’ll go back to the mall, argue about CEO’s income, try to figure out ways to raid the Treasury for hand outs, and when the next attack comes, we’ll cry foul and ask “why didn’t anyone see this coming.” We’ll blame it on the intelligence community, the military, the politicians….but it will be OUR fault, because we did not have the common sense to demand that our political leaders get serious about the mission, and we did not have the determination to fight our way to victory. Sad.

  13. Ron, you are absolutely right in your assessment of the current and past situations. We never seem to learn anything from our history, violent and bloody as it has been. What passes for the teaching of history in our institutions of higher learning is an absolute disgrace

  14. I think the Pak Army/ISI could be gotten out of the game without any sort of serious fighting in Pakistan by us. This is based on the belief that the Pakistani elites, which include the Pak Army/ISI, are primarily interested in money, power and privilege and will do what it takes to maintain them. Therefore they will respond to the prospect of losing the money.

    If we were to give up the Karachi supply line, all of it, and completely cut off the Pak military from any aid, advice, spare parts etc, they would stand to lose a lot of money, now and in the future. A lot of money. I think it very likely that they would throw off Taliban & Co. and choose the money over the lucre-less glory of a Taliban victory and acquisition of “strategic depth.”

    We of course would have to reduce our effort in Afghanistan to what could be completely supplied via the northern route and air. The Green Beans and Burger Kings would all have to close and only people who absolutely had to be there could stay. This would be to our benefit in more ways than reduced logistical needs.

    If this didn’t work and the Pak Army/ISI continued on its’ course or tried harder to kill even more Americans, they would be moving into the open more so than now, it would make clear their status as an actual enemy and we could deal with them accordingly. They have only one major port and we have a very big (for the moment) navy so there would be little need to get involved on land inside the Pak border.

    This course of action would require strong character on the part of our leaders so it may be a forlorn hope.

  15. Anybody ever wonder how Major Hassan is doing? How many years has it been since he murdered/injured his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood? How much money has been spent on wheeling his sorry ass around, feeding him and changing his diapers? Who is paying his attorney, law firm, etc.? (ans. is we taxpayers, of course!) If we were to ask those relatives of the fallen or those of the injured what they think about American Justice, would we expect to hear “it’s working just fine” or something else? Eric Holder works for who?

    Is it true that our national government has incorporated muslims into high level positions regarding national homeland security and other terrorism defensive organizations? Will the fox really protect the chickens in the coop? Go to a Catholic university to pray over your conflicts…but provide a room without a cross for your muslim students to do their thing.

    Ever wonder how much time Steve Jobs spent asking himself why he didn’t have the aggressive surgery immediately after his docs discovered his cancer?

    What good will one create by debating tactics to use in Afghanistan if at home the “cancer” is being left unattended and considered contained? How many MRAPS have been ordered and are now in production? How important is that? Death by 1000 cuts…

    When a government can’t even bring a muslim shrink to trial in a speedy–yet fair manner during a time of war, what makes one think it has the wherewithal to win a distant war with people who live in the 9th/13th century?

    Ain’t gonna happen, no matter how grand nor effective one’s strategies and tactics might be…anywhere and at anytime.

    Bug out–come home and fight the main fight, the second civil war in America! Steve Jobs would certainly understand such a decision. Just ask his wife and kids what they would want. Ask the relatives of Hassan’s victims.

    Recall General Casey coming before the cameras with his “diversity” pleadings…”Rotten to the core” has importance.

  16. Tim, the dude to your right needs to have better muzzle discipline. Tell him to stop pointing that dead blame thing at you! At least his finger isn’t on the trigger.

    1. That was one of the Afridi Tribal fighters and none of them have a clue about gun handling, combat marksmanship, known distance marksmanship, cleaning their weapons etc…. So you end up getting muzzle flagged often which, as I recall, earned you a 5 minute room of pain session in Bravo 1/8 back in the day. You get muzzle flagged a lot from the Brit military too – their weapons handling is also atrocious.

  17. If someone could undermine the ISI,would thing change?.Or is it too deeprooted to change.??

    1. Change is constant and the ISI run by men who are greedy, powerful and not the least bit shy about getting bloody. But they are not half as smart as they think they are and are already being swept aside by events outside their control – they just don’t know it yet

  18. “The Obama administration is exploring a shift in the military’s mission in Afghanistan to an advisory role as soon as next year, senior officials told The Wall Street Journal…” dateline Nov 3rd, reported via the web by FOX News 8am EDT.

    Not “our work is done here” rather more like “my work is done here” is it not?

    The real game is to figure out what “his” game is. More and more Americans are coming to realize “buying a book by it’s cover” is not always a wise choice. Good news and bad news, all wrapped up in one!

    Of course. there are those unpredictable Jews over there in the land of Palestine who might just “flip the coin” and then what?

    Call Obama’s bluff, pull him to the front lines even as he brings the “fire” button of his drones with him? After all, just how many masks can a person be allowed to wear?

    A reverse ambush… Make your Christmas wish list early.

  19. Charles Krauthammer’s Nov 3rd opinion piece: “Three years and a won war had given Obama the opportunity to establish a lasting strategic alliance with the Arab world’s second most important power.”

    How we lost Iraq was his subject. Next up: Afghanistan.

    And now it is also being reported (via the CIA people) that America has decided to lower it’s effort via those drones in Pakistan so as not to irritate the different peoples there and our relationship with them. Leading from behind…a true commander in chief at work!

    Implosion and conversion at the same time…I think one could call this the world of “cancer” in action.

    Next up will be inflation…beyond belief! Bug out time…

  20. “Charles Krauthammer’s Nov 3rd opinion piece: Three years and a won war had given Obama the opportunity to establish a lasting strategic alliance with the Arab world’s second most important power.

    The Iraq war was lost as soon as the insurgency started. The cost of fighting a long war out weighed any likely gains. Ditto for Afghanistan. All the US can do now is stop the bleeding.

    The winner of the Iraq and Afghan wars has been Iran. It’s enemies the Taliban, Baathists and AQ have been given a pummeling at US expense. The US has poured billions down the drain. US wars have kept the risk premium of oil high for a decade to Iran’s advantage. It’s pals the Shia are in charge of most of Iraq and Sadaam is dead.

    US creditability in the Middle East has never been lower and it’s range of options WRT Iran is limited. Another land war in Asia is off the table. Even a drawn out air war is too dangerous- given it would cause a spike in oil prices that would lead to a world wide recession and probably an upgrading of arms given to Hezbollah, Hamas, JAM and even the Afghan insurgents.

    The Iraqi Shia weren’t ever going to join up with the US to threaten Iran. The US will be lucky if the Sate Department’s private army isn’t run out of the country by 2013.

  21. “I’m sorry, we just gave you $11.6 billion and now you’re telling me, ‘I don’t really care’?” Words attributed to the now relieved of duty Gen. Fuller in Afghanistan.

    “The Iraq war was lost as soon as the insurgency started.” J Harlan’s above thoughts.

    The wars were crippled from the get go due to a nationally elected group of people who were more interested in their privileges (read rights, entitlements, power, etc.) than a collective awareness of world realities and how the United States stood for freedom and responsibility. Spoiled brats in general, trained in law schools so that they had developed three skills:
    1)the ability to admit nothing, 2)the ability to deny everything, and 3)the ability to talk around any subject. After World War II the tune everyone wanted to hear was “let the good times roll” and with the advent of the pill for women in the early 60’s it really has been played out to bewilderment ever since.

    War has evolved into a “police action” mentality, while here at home the cops all want to be SWAT neo Nazis running around with their faces covered and carrying AR-15s. Go figure!

    I am the terrorist until the TSA feelers say I can board a plane. Toby Keith appears on television to beg for monies to support the Wounded Warrior project: Where’s the rest of our “celebrities and stars” in this scene?

    Recall how Ali pronounced at the 9/11 memorial concert in New York City right after the attack–where Hillary was actively booed when walking on stage, “Islam is a religion of peace!” The draft dodger tells us one of his truths again…”I ain’t got nothing against the Viet Cong!”

    Ten years of fighting people who use Pepsi signage to create living/working spaces by a nation that puts a robot on Mars: Let’s build more drones, up armor our vehicles, stay within the wire, train everyone else to do the dirty work and….party like Obama, always party like Obama and his buds!

    Oh…have a President who served in a reserve unit act tough…until Bremer shows up in Iraq wearing his rep ties. When your brain is composed of cottage cheese don’t expect a victory as any dictionary would define it.

    We all know deep in our hearts that Iran seeks nuclear power for energy and not for weapons! Trust me on this…suckers!

    And finally, I think Hack had this right from the very beginning.

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