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Tuesday, January 29, 2008

A New Study Says Afghanistan Could Fail as a State

posted by on January 29 at 15:46 PM

The Associated Press reports.

Any of you politicos out there—calling Annie? Erica?—know the Democratic candidates’ stances on Afghanistan?

RSS icon Comments

1

afghanistan, the 51st state.

Posted by um | January 29, 2008 3:48 PM
2

COULD fail?

Posted by max solomon | January 29, 2008 3:52 PM
3

I could have told you that. Bush and co. pretended to give a shit about Afghanistan long enough to blow up pretty much everything of value left after the Soviets and the Taliban finished with it, then promptly forgot all about the country and moved most of the troops over to the meat grinder that is Iraq. The result? Anarchy, corruption, a resurgent Taliban, Al Qaeda moving back in, and most of the ordinary people fucked over just like before. America has always sucked at nation building, but we convinced ourselves otherwise after we got lucky with Germany and Japan.

Posted by Greg | January 29, 2008 3:55 PM
4

Well, Canada has told NATO they've had it and are leaving this year if US troops don't start showing up.

No, not the pitiful 3500 GWB proposed, but more like 35,000.

Right now Canada has half its entire military in Afghanistan and they've been there since 2002 and they're sick and tired of pulling the weight for NATO.

And I'm sick and tired of watching my comrades in arms Maple Leaf-draped coffins flown in and buried with full honors on national TV ... for a war that GWB and his neocons forgot.

Posted by Will in Seattle | January 29, 2008 4:08 PM
5

It's already too late there. One of the things that I don't look forward to in a new Democratic president is the doomed attempt to "win" in Afghanistan. Or the really scary mess that will likely blow up in Pakistan.

Posted by Cascadian | January 29, 2008 4:13 PM
6

Nothing surprising there. Afghanistan has never really been a country, but rather just a migration path for all of South Asia. Its people do not share a common language or culture. The country is rugged, arid, and land-locked. Opium is its only real export. It is basically a patchwork of warlord controlled provinces.

Posted by Mahtli69 | January 29, 2008 4:14 PM
7

Obama- "It’s time to heed our military commanders by increasing our commitment to Afghanistan, and it’s time to protect the American people by taking the fight to al Qaeda."

Clinton - "It would be tragic if we fail in Afghanistan because of an unwillingness to deploy a manageable size of additional troops to aid an important and willing ally during a time of true need.”

__________-" I would not maintain the occupation of Afghanistan. That was mainly motivated by oil pipelines and some other things that are never discussed."

Posted by Bald Face Lie | January 29, 2008 4:56 PM
8

Um, actually, @6, they are also now the #1 exporter of Marijuana worldwide.

Which can't be tolerated, as that displaces Canada's number one cash crop.

Posted by Will in Seattle | January 29, 2008 4:56 PM
9

@8 - That's good for America, since we can't afford Canadian weed anymore.

Posted by Mahtli69 | January 29, 2008 5:24 PM
10

Will: "they are also now the #1 exporter of Marijuana worldwide" -- cite please. Or did this come out of the same ass as "80 MPG 4WD diesels"?

Posted by Fnarf | January 29, 2008 5:27 PM

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