Military Chief: US Doesn't Have Enough Troops To Send To Afghanistan

From The Washington Post:

The nation's top military officer said yesterday that more U.S. troops are needed in Afghanistan to tamp down an increasingly violent insurgency, but that the Pentagon does not have sufficient forces to send because they are committed to the war in Iraq.

Watch the video:

Comments

[doofmann02]

This is a disgrace. I can think of over three thousand reasons why they should not have changed the mission. What a waste of good people and resources.

Highly recommend this article from another vet who speaks some sense about this mess:

http://www.texasmonthly.com/2008-07-01/btl.php

[collprof]

Bush retort will be to extend tours from 12 back to 15..send troops from South Korea to War 1, declare needless War 2 Mission Accomplished for 4th time, take troops and send to War 1. Then when Cheney declares War 3 little Johnnie who just lost his job at the GM, Ford, Jeep factory will again be gainfully employed..­that is...after the draft reinstated.

They'll need that wall between Mexico and USA to be extended to Canada and USA as the baby boomers lead their grandchildren across the border to escape the draft. And please don't give me this garbage that it's un-American to dodge the draft for this reprehensi­ble..cant even say it...presi­dent.

[cryingeagle]

NRA members, Rush Limbaugh supporters and Bush fans; Uncle Sam wants you for U.S. military nearest recruiting station.Jo­in the military for patriotism, job/career­/education­, adventure/­challenge, social status, travel, and miscellaneous. Bring your bible, your flag lapel pin and your empty mind as soon as possible.

[sistersvet]

As a Viet Nam vet, as a maximum anti-Iraq war Vet., I say - restart the DRAFT. Make all young people serve their country in some way. If they don't wish to serve in the military, let them serve their fellow citzens in some form of domestic or foriegn Peace Corps. or other NGO.

[steamboat]

I too am a VietNam vet, and I agree with you.

[MarkieBee]

WHOOPS! Now this guy will take "early retirement" for speaking the truth. You figure that he'd have learned from Shinseki, etc. that Bush/Cheney - two of the biggest chickenhawks in history - only want to hear that things are hunky-dorey over there and that the flowers are fresh and the chocolate is creamy.

[engineer68]

Nearly everything in America comes from China, including the money for the war in Iraq. Why can't we get some military troops from China. The cost would surely be less than for American service personnel.

[Troubledgoodangel]

Giving one's know-how to a potential future enemy as we have done with China is discouraged in the Bible. I have heard that on top of this, the Chinese are exhibiting interest in learning the secrets of Mr. Warren Buffett, how to make money speculating on markets. I just hope that someone advices Mr. Buffett to keep his mouth shot during the 2.1 million lunch in new York. I consider the Chinese dangerous and I think that the CIA should also sit at that table!

[findingthetruth]

Duhhhh!!!! And OUR troops are getting hopelessly killed in Iraq. However, they dare not report that.

[vippy]

Yesterday on FOX NEWS it was stated that the US is selling arms to Iran in the million dollar
category. Now isn't this idiotic. That is like sending arms to Hitler while he was fighting the
various fronts!

[fuzzwald]

Why not? We sold Hitler his oil.

[arvay]

Well, let's see if this guy gets fired like the Admiral who tried to put the brakes on the Iran war talk. Nice to see a high-ranking military official leveling with the American people, unlike the many, many political soldiers who aided Bush's lies and got their soldiers killed for nothing.

[in4success]

seems to be plenty available for iran, neverthtless.

[Gayrove]

Well, you know that Bush & Cheney, etc., are eager to swallow once what the air-power nuts in the US Air Force Corporation (USAF, Boeing, Lockheed, etc.) tell them: "We don't need troops to bomb Iran back to the Stone Age. We'll just use Shock and Awe again and everything will fall into place!"

[Yola]

Can we collectively say DRAFT?

[MarkieBee]

DRAFT

[dnels14]

we beleive in you CHIEF. but the - MCBUSH KLANN - doesn't !!

YOURS TRULEY

[imusintheevening]

Bush don't be such a Pu**y, hurry up and start the draft, so you can get your crusade started before you miss your chance.

[ChiGuy]

The Wacky Adventures of the Keystone Kops (43 & Co.) continues.
The utter ineptitude of American "leadership' in the White House is completely embarrassing.

01/20/09

[Camarosc35]

The soon to be former Admiral Mullen. :)

[tomsfork]

Talking the truth to Bush & Co is not what gets you promoted or retained. Please observe the service record of the general - uh, excuse me, the civilian and former general - who investigated the Abu Ghraib mess. You are probably right.

[oregonrain]

yep , another one about to bite the dust .

[SouthFloridaDem]

For everyone with their knickers in a twist about Obama saying he wants to build up the military, this is exactly why he wants to and why we NEED to. The Bushies let the military go down to nothing, and taking all the national guard away to make up for it leaves no one here at home in case there's another huge hurricane emergency, or midwest flooding. So I have no problem with Obama wanting an increase, because it's desperately needed thanks to the inept Bushies and their "top military brass."

[napoleon68]

like here in california. our national guard is over there, so we do not have enough people now to fight all these fires.

[steamboat]

So why don't the people there themselves organize to and fight the fires? Just a suggestion.

[doofmann02]

Agree with you on this one. He also is calling for going back to the focus of killing the scum that attacked us, you know the ones who are regrouped in Pakistan? They wanted to do everything on the cheap, and the results speak for themselves. Underarmored, undertrained, and no plan whatsoever for an insurgency. We need to take better care of them both before and after they serve.

[biwee]

The scum that attacked the USA on 911 are called Mossad.

[Sundialsvc4]

Nothing to it, oh ye of the YouTube generation!

Surf to a site that you may not have visited yet: http://thomas.loc.gov.

Now, I want you, AND your Mom AND your DAD (if they are less than 42 years old) to please look-up and carefully read the "Universal National Service Act of 2007." It's right there, waiting to be stuffed into a nice spending-b­ill...

All the troops, all the national servants, you want. Male OR female, ages 18 to 42. You get sent anywhere El Presidente sends you, to do anything He commands. If you breathed a sigh of relief on your 22nd birthday, all those years ago, you did so about 20 years too soon.

So... if you've been sitting on the sidelines here, thinking that "it's bad, but it won't affect ME," maybe you'd just better think again. Real quick. This war's gonna turn real hot, real soon, and you're gonna be smack-dab in the middle of it.

[BBackSoon]

Everyone needs to read this!!!

It is some scary s#!t!!

But this upcoming war with those ‘Evil SOB’s in Iran’ aught to be a good enough reason for the Repugs to stuff it down our throats and we know we can count on the Dems to raise hell and stall and then cave because they don’t want to appear weak. (Does everyone else see the irony of that?)

I am 42 and in no shape to go to war. Perhaps if it were to do some of the Halliburton jobs such as IT work or even Food Service it might not be so bad but I really don’t think I could run and jump and dive into artillery craters.

[soupson52]

BTW, I remember when Rangel presented this bill. There is a lovely catch. NO deferments for anybody. So bushies' kids would go too. Even if they had "other priorities­." That Rangel is one smart politician!

[GnitenGoodLk]

Check the amendment slipped in later on by some other "patriots" I won't mention. Adjustments for those who already served, and "those employed by the gov" in some fashion. That 2nd one burnt my britches.

I kept a very close eye on that bill all year. I will continue to do so to make sure the rats aren't gnawing away at it.

[scouserinlondon]

Mmmmmm believe they will go when I see it. There will be some get out for them. Won't happen.

[GnitenGoodLk]

All options on the table. Some to be used after the election.