Just seeing that 8 US soldiers have been killed in bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan. That means 55 Americans have died there this month which according to AP makes this the deadliest month since operations began back in 2001. Does the level of casualties affect your opinion on whether the Americans should be there?
13 Responses to “America’s deadliest month in Afghanistan”
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Nobody wants casualties, however, the US only paid serious military attention to Afghanistan from right after 9-11-2001 until early 2003 when Iraq was illadvisedly invaded. It’s only been in the last year or so that we are trying to seriously reengage again and that unfortunately means wounded and lives lost (NATO forces and Afghanis); and we still have thousands of battle weary troops in Iraq, and Pakistan continues to be a concern. We should have “finished the job” in Afghanistan and never started a war in Iraq.
Margaret Tacoma, WA
Ros:
Yes, the month of October looks like a deadliest months for U.S.
Military; But, this is not the only month over the years with the number
of dead were at this calliber….
~Dennis Junior~
It would be much better for all foreign forces to get out of Afganistan and let Pakistan alone fight the war there. Supply pakistan with all the military equipment and training thats needed to fight this war, also blocade the areas of the insurgents and let them rot in their own stew. It is a great shame when this war is fought with limitations and not fought as an all out war regardless of civilians casualities in the areas where the insurgents hide and live.
It is a great shame that young soldiers from western countries die and risk their lives in a country that they have no intrests or care, they would be better off at home with their loved ones.
Can you assure world community that military aid given to Pakistan to fight terrorism would be used appropriately? Pakistan is not reliable country. Pakistan smuggled nuclear technology to Iran and N.Korea. Giving MILITARY AID to Pakistan would be a serious mistake, let it fight with its own weapon as it says” This is its own war, not war of anyone else”
Sadly, casualties on both sides are a by-product of war and the responsibility of the people who send the soldiers out to fight. This must be particularly galling and hard to accept if the war is considered to be illegal and without an end in sight. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the the soldiers who died.
This is to be expected. Death is always the result of military action and it comes to all. I hope the press doesn’t over play it like they have and do as pointed out in yesterdays science topic. It is an important fact to cover, but the long term effects of the operations are what matter most.
We should get out of Afghanistan now. But short of Vietnam-era protests, Obama will never do it. Why? Because the “standards” used to evaluate “progress” conveniently change all the time. All that matters is American interests. To the U.S., the Afghanis are irrelevant.
Another thought. The U.S. and U.K. keep talking about “bringing democracy” to the Afghan people. How would Brits feel if someone occupied the U.K. And they were told we’re here to bring you the right kind of “democracy.” I wonder if you’d ever see something like that on Question Time.
WHYS student guest Fareedoone, from Afghanistan, should be asked whether this sacrifice in US and NATO lives is warranted, in his opinion, or whether he would rather be rid of the “invaders.”
I think the operation in Afghanistan was justified, at least initially. But now that we are involved in nation building, it is really up to the Aghanis to fully cooperate or to kick us out. I don’t think any foreign power can hope to “fix the problem once and for all,” when the “fix” involves changing the way the local population thinks and acts.
True, if we leave before Afghanistan meets our “seal of approval,” there’s no guarantee that something like 9/11 will not be launched from there in the future. On the other hand, the ultra conservatives who used that line of reasoning in the first Gulf War, for example those who claimed we should have removed Saddam Hussein from power back then, have been proven amazingly wrong. Very hard to say what fixes things “once and for all.” It may not be western style democracy, rammed down their throats. That may be premature.
War behaves like a plot of a novel or any story. It only develops into a good story if you allow the original plot to evolve with the story. The problem with Afghanistan is that the authors of this story have stuck to one stiff plot that is none bionic against the advise of military minds and historical facts.
What is immediate in Afghanistan is not democracy but rather a renegotiated rebuilding of the now still shattered peace and stability with stake holders. Democracy is a culture that might take several generations in a peacemeal manner and Aghanistan is not unique in this. Hm! Everyone knows there there is a nuclear state in the neighborhood. Get the nukes out of these regions and temperatures are likely to come down perhaps. Yes, perhaps.
No, casualties are still relatively low, but since Afghanistan continues to refuse to adopt and carry out a truly democratic constitution.
The current Afghan laws and administration will turn the country into another Egypt at best, or another Taliban-led Afghanistan at worst, either way it’s not worth the lives of the troops. Americans or other NATO troops shouldn’t be sacrificing their lives just so Mr. Karzai and his Taliban-light can jail people for things like apostasy or accidentally misprinting the Koran.
Give the government of Afghanistan a simple choice: either become a real democracy or have NATO pull out.
Let’s not forget, it’s a war against the evil of terrorism, the deadliest and the worst enemy of the peaceful/civilized world. Every casualty in an ethical war, especially in pursuit of a global cause, is heart-rending; But then, there’s no other way, not without making some sacrifices, to win this global crusade for peace.
Hello again
The USA are the invaders. The real price is paid by the Afghans.
To paraphrase a nazi propaganda message. The USA will fight what they call terrorism until the last human surviver.
Jim