Gates: 'A few years' of combat in Afghanistan

08-13-2009 • AP

The Pentagon presented a grim portrait of the Afghanistan war, offering no assurances about how long Americans will be fighting there or how many U.S. combat troops it will take to win.

Defeating the Taliban and al-Qaida will take "a few years," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, with success on a larger scale in the desperately poor country a much longer proposition. He acknowledged that the Taliban has a firm hold on parts of the country President Barack Obama has called vital to U.S. security.

2 Comments in Response to Gates: 'A few years' of combat in Afghanistan

Comment by TheRockster

Entered on: 8/14/2009 11:22:51 AM

I have yet to hear even a slightly valid reason why the US military is in there. Bin Laden, if he's still alive, is in Pakistan. Looks like the reason our boys are killing and dying is to sell weapons for the filthy warmongers. Time to start killing weapons-makers to end the war.

Comment by William1950

Entered on: 8/14/2009 8:27:52 AM

I support every individual fighting or who has fought and their families in these wars.

We can win in Afghanistan if we level every town, city or hut. We could then leave stating victory and not have to worry about the tribes for fifty years.

The other way to win is to leave with the total understanding that if any part of the Afghan nation or military, no matter how small attacks any country outside of afghanistan we will use bombs, not individuals to attack. We will also then have roving fighters for three months to attack any convoy and every poppy field in the country.

What a nation does inside the boarders of that country to its own people is up to them. When they attack US property they will be attacked.

Make a Comment (2) • Email Link • Send Letter to Editor