Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Ever Expanding Troop Levels in Afghanistan


H/t to Cato.
Interesting to note, the troop levels have essentially tripled since this administration began handling things. Geopolitically, Afghanistan is a phenomenal place to stage a ground threat to Iran, Pakistan, and even possibilities into China. So all this may be muscle flexing for the future relations with these nations.

Or it could just be that we're in a war we should not have entered with a society that is trying to deal with a mandate for 4000 years of social evolution within an 8 year time frame. Bombing a people out of the stone age is a foolhardy approach to world change.

5 comments:

Gino said...

yeah, its more effective to bomb them into the stone age, but what fun is that when they havent left it yet, and kinda like it there, anyway?

RobertDWood said...

Exactly. It is a relatively expensive way to maintain the status quo of the region.

Solameanie said...

If you ever get a chance, read the book "Leaders" by the late Richard Nixon. He talks in places about the idea of "nation-building," and trying to force Western democracy on countries that have no tradition of it and aren't ready for it.

RobertDWood said...

Nixon, as in the US president?

Lissa Rae said...

Interesting. I thought we had been pulling troops out, but to realize that we have more troops over there than ever? Wow. I really like what you said about the 4000 years of social evolution. So true. If we wanted to change them it will take a lot longer than 8 years, and it can't be in a militaristic way, in my opinion.