US Rethinks Afghanistan Strategy With An Eye On The Bush Legacy

WASHINGTON -- Four months before President Bush leaves office, his top civilian and military aides are conducting four major new reviews of the war strategy and overall mission in Afghanistan, which have exposed internal fissures over American troop levels, how billions of aid dollars are spent, and how to cope with a deteriorating security situation in neighboring Pakistan.

The most ambitious of the assessments, run by the White House, begins in earnest this week with a series of high-level meetings, administration officials said. Officials have been directed to produce detailed recommendations within about two weeks for Mr. Bush's most senior advisers on a broad range of security, counterterrorism, political and development issues. Many of the dozen aides interviewed for this article spoke on condition of anonymity because the reviews are continuing.

Some of the issues being studied, including proposed increases in American troop levels in Afghanistan, have set off internal debate and could have far-reaching consequences for the next administration.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[TRIATHLON]

(NATO) MEMBERS TO RE-THINK THEIR STRATEGIC INTERESTS

European willingness to respond militarily to an outbreak of violence in Kosovo and the Balkans, even as there are serious fissures between the (US/MIC) & (NATO) over Afghanistan, ("Related to General McKiernan"s request, one of the other assessments proposes a military campaign plan for Afghanistan for the next 5 to 10 years, creating long-term requirements for troop levels in the southern and eastern parts of the country, where most of the fighting is taking place, according to one participant in the study. But some American officials say that European allies may balk at these long-term force commitments, potentially leaving the United States to supply an even larger share of the troops." Source: The New York Times ) Is best summed up by Von Bismarck: "The whole of the Balkans is not worth the bones of a single Pomeranian Grenadier!" Translated into today terms (NATO) sent a message, (NATO) has weighed its current policy against its strategic interests, with sensible, realistic assessments about geostrategic choices and their consequences. We don"t have a dog in this fight, we got your message from the former Soviet Republic of Georgia & Soviet Russian War, the line has been drawn, and it is (NATO"s), position that the whole of Georgia and Ossetia (North, South, or United) isn"t worth the life of a single (NATO) soldier life from any of the (EU) European Union, nations, end of story, and honor previous assurances made to Soviet Russia.

[TRIATHLON]

IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME MORE, MORE, MORE!!

"Gen. David H. "Betray US" Petraeus quietly made a fact-finding trip to Afghanistan before handing off command of the war in Iraq last week to take over Central Command, according to senior American officers in the region."

Seven year into this mess, billion closing on a trillion spent, troops committing suicide at record rates, the (US/MIC) United States Military Industrial Complex holding on by its finger nails in Iraq, Afghanistan going down hill, attacking illegally the country an ally with nuclear weapons Parkistan.

And, the answer out of Gen. David H. "Betray US" is what? Of Couse More time, More money, More troops, More restructuring, More, More, and More of the Same.

Gen. David H. "Betray US" should have read his history about the Vietnam War, declare "Victory" and come home, quit while were no to far behind.

[Whinger]

The Bush legacy reads like a litany of despair for countlesss thousand of Iraq's citzens, Afghanistans citzens and American citzens. Broken homes, families, unemployment, hardship, suffering, death, the list go's on an on.
Everything he has touched in his life has failed, and back then, just like now, somebody has had to bail him out, in this instance the American citzens, even the wise people who didn't vote for him!

He leaves office in the certain knowledge that he is the worst and most despised President ever!

[Durango]

What he has done to the American people, our nation and it's institutions pales in comparison to what he did to Iraq and the Iraqi's.

He is like some thoughtless little boy who destroys everything in his wake and then claims "I didn't do it."

I would think the Iraqi's would want revenge for what he did to them. is still doing to him.

I have to hope there is an after life. Because there is no suitable vengeance on this earth.

[usakaput]

A GARGANTUAN LEGACY OF FAILURE

[TRIATHLON]

(8TH) US ATTACK ON PAKISTAN (END PART)

As, with the last repelled incursion the usual denial was issued by a Pentagon spokesman, this time Colonel Gary Keck, replacing Bryan Whitman. ""There was no such incursion, there was no such event." All previous restriction upon use of remotely piloted Predator aircraft, and missiles firings, and conducting raids on the soil of Pakistan are null and void, the (JSOC/CIA/RSO/IC), will neither notify nor request the permission of the Pentagon, the Commanding Generals in Afghanistan, the American ambassador in Islamabad or the government of Pakistan, when they conduct limited ground attacks missile or ground commando incursion operation.

This was the (8th) eighth attack upon Pakistan by the (JSOC/CIA/RSO/IC), since the (1st) of September, (5) five missile attack, and (3) commando unit incursions, with (2) two repelled. And by repeating these operations the (US/MIC) is daily deepening the well of

[Vyvjala]

George Carlin came up with seven words that you could not say on TV or radio. Well theres been another word added to this list and it is BUSH, and not the plant variety. This will be his worthless legacy...

[DebbieinPhx]

Agreed. Keith Olbermann has a spot he runs every night. He calls it his update on the current administrations 50 running scandals. He calls it "Bushed" .... I think that this is perfect, Bushed, the new verb for SNAFU!!!!

[Durango]

So Bush wants to leave policy direction for his predecessor. And hope they will follow his advice since he now sees himself as the reincarnation of Lincoln. (The Surge worked just like Grants march on Richmond.)

Just like he didn't do when he took office. Not only did he ignore the wisdom of the Clinton Administration ("Your biggest problem will be Osama Bin Ladin") he went out of his way to do the exact opposite of Clinton.

Which led to the greatest security catastrophe in American history Sept 11, 2001. Why he has never paid a price for that is beyond me. After all HE was the DECIDER. And the Buck Stopped in His Office. He was the one who the Memo "Bin Ladin Determined To Strike Within United States" was written.

We have had 8 years of his criminal foolishness. he seeks to leave a legacy. But that legacy has already been written.

Worst President EVER.

[usakaput]

WORST PRESIDENT EVER. SINCE WE DIDNT GET BIN LADEN ,LIKE HE PROMISED (I THINK HES BEEN LONG DEAD) WTF ARE WE WASTING OUR MONEY IN AFGHANISTAN? IS IT ALL FOR THE CARLYLE GROUP? AFGHANISTAN HAS NEVER BEEN HELD ON FOR TOO LONG,LOOK AT YOUR HISTORY BOOKS. IT BANKRUPTED RUSSIA ,AND ITS CERTAINLY DOING THAT TO THE UNITED STATES,WITH HELP FROM THE IRAQ DISASTER .WHY DO NEOCONS HATE AMERICA?

[Rog49Thomas]

Wouldn't the appropriate thing be to rethink our strategy in terms of the good of the American and Afghani people instead of some second rate loser's "legacy"?

[mc]

No matter what he does, he'll go down as the worst president in the history of the U.S.

[Rog49Thomas]

Don't overlook the competition that President McCain or Palin might give him.

[gcallaghan]

When did he topple the Taliban? More than 7 years ago Congress approved military action against them. The point is YuYu's had most of that time in which to make decisions and take actions that allow his legacy to write itself, lkie every previous administration. Whatever changes he now makes and how those changes affect the outcome are immaterial to his legacy; It'll only beg the question of why not sooner? His legacy of wastes, frauds and abuses is written in concrete that set up years ago.

[schatsie]

You know I think his mother should have sent him to his room a very long time ago... what kind of mother raised such a worthless human being...

[ErnestineBass]

A succubus.

[comacoma]

Well.. as someone whose only interest is self-interest legacy would be much more important to bush than any success for the Afghan people or US citizens....

[cdnnewsjunky]

Afghanistan is over! Bush's reluctance to deal with it, has allowed the situation there to become uncontrollable.

[darthdarcy]

Bush lost Afghanistan when he cut and ran at Tora Bora..!

[cdnnewsjunky]

Your right, woops, I mean your correct!

[bola47]

bush legacy, what an oxymoron. this man belongs in jail.

[darthdarcy]

Couldn't have said it better myself...!

"Legacy" what a joke...

It's like a cancer you had cut out of you, having a legacy..

Bush won't have a legacy, he'll have an aftermath like Nero did in Rome...!

[schatsie]

you know a few years ago, I thought that maybe he is just angry at the world, god knows he must be in denial to even think he has a legacy... And I believe it could be because he never had any children of his own, that Laura had the kids by in vitro, so they are not even his...

I just don't know he is sure strange and hateful...I will never forget how he giggled about executing Karla Fay Tucker..and sending the soldiers to war without Body Armor when he knew he was going to war in Iraq......